Four-star safety Demetres Samuel Jr. has made a significant change by flipping his commitment from the Florida Gators back to Syracuse, marking a full-circle moment for the talented player. He announced this decision late Sunday night after nearly two months of being committed to Florida.
Samuel Jr., a product of Palm Bay, Florida, was the Gators’ first defensive back commitment for the 2025 class after reclassifying from the 2026 class. Prior to his commitment to Florida on July 31, he had been pledged to Syracuse since March 30. Adding to the significance of his decision, Samuel Jr. is also the younger cousin of former Florida safety Marcus Maye.
“Orange fans, I’m locked in! Let’s do it!” Samuel Jr. expressed in a post, as reported by On3’s Hayes Fawcett.
BREAKING: Four-Star Safety Demetres Samuel has Flipped his Commitment from Florida to Syracuse, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’1 190 S from Palm Bay, FL had been Committed to the Gators since July
“Orange fans I’m locked in! Let’s do it!”https://t.co/MiCHVcuOkS pic.twitter.com/fX84mJkafQ
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) September 30, 2024
Cuse Fans let’s do it💯❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/PuhD2OleuR
— Demetres Samuel JR (@demetres_jr) September 30, 2024
His decision to return to Syracuse leaves Florida with only one defensive back commitment in their class, four-star legacy cornerback Ben Hanks Jr. This comes during a critical time for the Gators, who are currently sitting at 2-2 with a challenging schedule ahead. Head coach Billy Napier is under increased scrutiny as the team gears up for the remainder of the season, which includes eight tough games.
Should the Gators continue to struggle, it wouldn’t be surprising if more players followed Samuel Jr.’s lead and sought opportunities elsewhere. Florida is set to host UCF on Saturday at 7:45 p.m. before entering a grueling stretch of seven consecutive SEC opponents, five of whom are currently ranked and three listed in the top five of the latest AP Poll.
At present, the Gators hold the No. 19 overall recruiting class in the nation for this cycle, according to On3, but this latest commitment loss raises questions about the stability and future of the program.
