"Stuffed DeBoer": CFB fans have wild reactions to elite four-star prospect KJ Ford's commitment decision

Four-star prospect KJ Ford announced his commitment to Florida on Friday evening, just over a month after he made his official visit to the school. The Gators beat intense competition from a host of other reputable programs to secure the edge rusher's commitment.

Alabama gained traction in the days before Ford’s commitment decision, but Florida regained the edge in the final hours before his announcement. Ohio State and Texas A&M were the other finalists in the recruitment process.

KJ Ford offered some hints on the possibility of giving his commitment to the Gators last month. Following his official visit to Gainesville, he explained to On3 why the program will be a good fit for him and how his discussion with the coaching staff has turned out positively.

“They have already given me a good idea of my fit there, and we’ve talked about that on past visits,” Ford said. “This weekend, we talked some more about my fit, and how much of a priority I am for them. They’ve shown me that time and time again since they started to recruit me.”

Expand Tweet

In his junior year in high school, KJ Ford recorded 57 tackles, 16 tackles-for-loss and seven sacks. Over his high school career at Duncanville (Texas), he has amassed 110 tackles, 30 tackles-for-loss and 9.5 sacks. His commitment comes as a massive win for Florida and has generated a lot of reactions online:

Here's a look at some of them:

Expand Tweet

Other reactions from fans:

Florida’s class of 2026 after KJ Ford’s commitment

The commitment of KJ Ford has further strengthened the Florida class of 2026, which has received several pledges in the past few weeks. The Gators now boast 18 commitments in the cycle, including 12 blue-chip talents according to On3’s Industry Ranking.

Florida's 2026 class is currently ranked at No. 12 and No. 5 in the Southeastern Conference. Billy Napier and his staff are intensifying their efforts on the recruiting trail to secure commitments from more talent in the next couple of weeks.

Here's a look at the Gators' current commits:

#1, CJ Bronaugh, CB, Florida

#2, Kevin Ford, EDGE, Texas

#3, Kendall Guervil, DL, Florida

#4, Heze Kent, OT, Georgia

#5, Marquez Daniel, WR, Alabama

#6, JaReylan McCoy, DL, Mississippi

#7, Justin Williams, WR, Florida

#8, Malik Morris, LB, Florida

#9, Kaiden Hall, S, Florida

#10, Carsyn Baker, RB, Georgia

#11, Will Griffin, QB, Florida

#12, CJ Hester, CB, Florida

#13, Chancellor Campbell, OT, Florida

#14, Desmond Green, IOL, South Carolina

#15, G’Nivre Carr, IOL, Florida

#16, Tyler Chukuyem, OT, Georgia

#17, Kekua Aumua, TE, Florida

#18, Javaril Luckas, OT, Florida

About the author

Farouk Yusuf is a journalist who covers College Football and College Basketball at Sportskeeda and previously worked with the NBA and NFL departments.

A lover of history, Farouk loves throwbacks, but he also likes pondering what the future might hold for the college sports landscape.

Farouk's favorite college players of all time are Johnny Manziel and Reggie Bush, while his favorite teams are Alabama, Ohio State, Texas, Michigan and Georgia. Tua Tagovailoa's game-winning touchdown pass to Devonta Smith in the 2016 national championship game remains his favorite college sports moment.

Aside from writing, Farouk is also a visual artist, web developer, UI/UX designer, graphic designer, photographer, and crafter.

Know More

Edited by Dipayan Moitra