Four-star LB Malik Morris commits to Florida

Four-star linebacker Malik Morris has committed to Florida, marking the Gators' 17th recruit in the Class of 2026.

The 6-foot-1, 225-pounder attends Lakeland High School in Lakeland, Fla., located about 120 miles from Florida's campus in Gainesville. Morris is ranked as the 12th linebacker in his class, 27th in Florida and 202nd nationally, according to 247Sports Composite rankings.

He took an official visit to Florida on June 13, after previously visiting Texas A&M and Miami. Morris also held offers from Alabama, Georgia, Texas and other powerhouse programs.

"Just the atmosphere they have at Florida is unexplainable. If you've ever been to a Florida game, it's 90,000 people just in there rocking," Morris told Gators Online in May. "It's the crib. I'm from Florida, so it's right here."

The linebacker tallied 95 tackles, nine sacks and three forced fumbles en route to winning Ledger All-County Defensive Player of the Year. Morris also tacked on five rushing touchdowns for a Lakeland squad that went 13-1 and appeared in 5A state title game.

Morris is Florida's first linebacker recruit in the 2026 class and its fifth-highest rated prospect overall in the class. The Gators now rank 15th in 247Sports' 2026 team recruiting rankings with 11 four-stars and five three-stars.

"It's going back to the old Florida. How it used to be, and how it's supposed to be," Morris said to Gators Online about the school's recruiting.

--Field Level Media