Florida Beats Out Three SEC Rivals For Elite OL Recruit originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Last season, the Florida Gators won eight games for the first time since 2020. Leading the offense for the second half of the season was quarterback DJ Lagway, a five-star true freshman quarterback and the future of the program. With his health a priority for at least the next two seasons, Florida added a key building block to their future offensive line on Sunday.
Hayes Fawcett of On3 reported that G’Nivre Carr, a towering 6-foot-5, 320-pound interior lineman, has committed to Florida’s 2026 class. The three-star recruit chose the Gators over SEC rivals Tennessee and South Carolina. He also held offers from Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M, among others.
“Once a Gator, always a Gator! Proud to be a Gator 5=1🐊,” Carr said in a statement per Fawcett.
Carr becomes the third hard commit in Florida’s 2026 class, joining defensive lineman Jamir Perez and quarterback Will Griffin. His commitment signals another long-term win for third-year head coach Billy Napier, who has gone 19-19 in Gainesville but is fresh off his best season at the helm with the Gators.
Carr’s path could align perfectly with the rise of former five-star quarterback DJ Lagway, who threw 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions as a true freshman last fall. By 2026, Lagway will be in his third season under center, with Carr potentially ready to shore up any holes on the offensive line.
Following the conclusion of this season, Florida will graduate multiple seniors on the offensive line, including veteran guard Damieon George Jr. Noel Portnjagin and Roderick Kearney sit as the only non-upperclassmen on the two-deep of Florida’s depth chart, per Ourlads.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.