One of the top pass-catchers in the country has come off the board.
After amassing some three dozen scholarship offers, Miami (Fla.) Central wideout Naueshaun Montgomery went public with a verbal commitment to Billy Napier and the Florida Gators on Sunday afternoon.
The speedy senior, who has scored a touchdown in each of his first two showings to kick off the season, picked the program over finalists Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Oregon and Penn State.
"Coach Napier, coach Billy Gonzales, every time I go down there it's really like a family," Montgomery told Rivals.
The four-star becomes the 14th UF pledge in the 2025 cycle, third among wide receiver projections joining fellow Rivals250 prospects Vernell Brown III and Joshua Moore.
*****
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker
*****
What it means
Montgomery is a key win for Florida on multiple fronts, not only illustrating the ability to win in south Florida at a premiere program like Miami Central, but it also pushed positive perception in landing the top 100 recruit.
Florida has just one additional top 100 talent reeled in thus far in the cycle, Brown III, another key in-state win this summer. The duo and Moore, who is ranked No. 156 overall on Rivals, forms a more-than formidable wide receiver trio on the commitment list. The group all hold blue-chip status, were coveted nationally, and compliment one another in a potential wide receiver corps of the future.
Brown III is the do-it-all play-maker who can line up in the slot, factor into the return game and make chunk plays with the ball in his hands. Montgomery is the smooth route-runner who has legitimate wheels (4.4-second 40-yard dash at LSU this summer) to combine with his strong length to form a legitimate deep threat. Moore is the bigger, more classic boundary wideout who has rare physical tools at near 6-foot-4, north of 200 pounds.
This group can potentially see the field together, sooner rather than later at that.
What Montgomery brings to Gainesville
College football fans have certainly heard of Montgomery even if there is only a slight ear towards the recruiting game, as he has been a known commodity as long as many of the best in the class of 2025.
It's for a reason.
While he has some polarizing elements to his story, having played at three high schools in four years, he is playing his best football at the right time. Montgomery had a banner offseason circuit, showcasing plus route-running and legitimate speed along with better ball tracking and finishing skills than his slight frame may suggest.
Early in his senior season, Montgomery has flashed as a passionate play-maker with easy wins down the field and better-than-expected chunk plays with the ball in his hands. On Friday night, Rivals was on hand for the high-level tilt with Lakeland (Fla.) High School and the new Gator was the most impressive skill prospect on the field. He all but willed the Rockets back in a very physical and competitive game.
As Montgomery progresses as a senior and into college, adding mass to his frame will be key towards rounding out his game. It's true in simple elements like winning at the catch point and getting off of press-man, but also down the line in critical areas like blocking at all three levels.
The expected gains are critical towards the lofty projection on Montgomery as a top 10 wide receiver nationally. He is known for the shiftiness and downfield ability, but there is improvement to be had with the entire route tree, particularly those counted upon as a potential WR1. More consistency in the short to intermediate game will enhance the threat level Montgomery presents all together.
