5-star Waller picks Gators, touts ‘versatile’ defense

Last updated: 2023/06/20 at 3:18 AM

BigP Published June 20, 2023

Blake Baumgartner, ESPN Staff WriterJun 19, 2023, 10:18 PM ET

Five-star defensive end Jamonta Waller committed to Florida on Monday night.

Waller (No. 16 in the 2024 ESPN 300), from Picayune Memorial High School in Picayune, Mississippi, becomes the highest-ranked defensive member and second five-star prospect of Billy Napier’s 2024 class. Quarterback D.J. Lagway is ranked No. 14 overall.

“It just felt like home when I went there, both on my regular visit and my OV,” Waller told ESPN. “(Defensive coordinator) Coach (Austin) Armstrong, he recruited me when he was at Southern Miss, Alabama and at Florida. So that’s very special to me.

“They do so much on defense and their defense is so versatile, and that’s how I am as a player. I can do so much and I feel like I’ll just stand out in the defense and be able to come off the edge and just do so much (and) move around a lot.”

He’s the fourth ESPN 300 player the Gators have secured a pledge from since Saturday, following linebacker Aaron Chiles (No. 63 overall), tight end Amir Jackson (No. 102) and defensive end Amaris Williams (No. 279).

The presence of both Waller and Willis High School (Texas) signal-caller Lagway, who committed in December, will only boost Florida’s momentum on the recruiting trail. The Gators’ 2024 class is currently ranked 11th by ESPN, and nine players have committed to the program since June 12.

“We ready, baby,” Waller said. “They’re glad I’m home, ready to get to work and get The Swamp to how it used to be. (This 2024 class is going to get) even better because I’m going to start recruiting now.”

Waller — the third-best defensive end in this year’s cycle — took official visits to Auburn and Penn State earlier this month.

A three-sport athlete (football, basketball, track and field), the 6-foot-2, 230-pound Waller recorded 106 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks.

Under defensive coordinator Armstrong, the Gators’ defense ranked 12th in the SEC in both total defense (415.8 YPG) and scoring defense (28.8 PPG) in 2022.

With the infusion of defensive talent coming into the program this year and next (10 ESPN 300 recruits combined) in the last two recruiting cycles, Waller knows he can be part of the change in Gainesville while operating in the Jack position as an outside linebacker.

“I’d say my get off is probably one of the quickest in the nation,” he said. “My get off and my effort and how I play the game. I’ll just say my effort that I bring to the table every game — not too many out there that can match it.”