Florida Gators Land Major Commitment Over Alabama and Tennessee
The Florida Gators scored a major recruiting victory this week, securing a commitment from one of the top uncommitted prospects in the country. The announcement came as a surprise to many, as the highly regarded player was widely expected to choose either Alabama or Tennessee.
The decision marks a significant win for Florida head coach Billy Napier and his staff, who have been working tirelessly to rebuild the Gators into a national contender. Landing the prospect not only boosts Florida’s 2025 recruiting class but also sends a message to rival SEC programs that the Gators are still a force on the recruiting trail.
Recruiting analysts noted that Alabama and Tennessee had been frontrunners for months, making the player’s decision to pick Florida all the more surprising. The addition provides immediate momentum for the Gators and strengthens their chances of competing at the highest level in the years ahead.
With this commitment, Florida continues to make strides toward reclaiming its spot among college football’s elite programs. The move also adds fuel to the growing rivalries within the SEC, as the Gators, Crimson Tide, and Volunteers prepare for future battles on the field.
BATON ROUGE, La. — In an era where Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals are reshaping the college sports landscape, few decisions have resonated as profoundly as that of LSU Tigers women’s basketball star center, Jaloni Del Rosario. The 6-foot-6 phenom recently turned down two $4.5 million NIL offers — one from the University of Georgia and another from Notre Dame — in order to stay at LSU, making a powerful statement about loyalty, legacy, and her commitment to team success.
The offers, each reportedly spanning multiple years with lucrative endorsements, apparel partnerships, and personal branding opportunities, represented some of the most aggressive NIL pitches made in the women’s college basketball space. Yet Del Rosario declined both, reaffirming her allegiance to the Tigers and Head Coach Kim Mulkey’s championship-driven program.
A Rare Decision in a New Era
Del Rosario’s decision instantly caught the attention of the national media, not only for the massive financial implications but also for what it says about the values of today’s athletes — and the ones willing to look beyond the checkbook.
“In the end, it was never just about money,” Del Rosario said in an exclusive interview with The Advocate. “I came to LSU to build something special. I came to win. The relationships I’ve formed here, the culture we’ve built, and the legacy we’re writing — you can’t put a price on that.”
While NIL deals have empowered athletes to cash in on their popularity and talent — especially in women’s sports, where professional opportunities remain comparatively limited — Del Rosario’s choice cuts against the grain. With two of the nation’s most storied programs courting her with financial windfalls, few would have faulted her for making the move. Instead, she doubled down on her commitment to the school that recruited her out of high school, believing in the bigger picture.
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