Billy Napier’s Strategic Ben Hanks Jr. Move Earns Widespread Praise in Football Circles

11-14 in 2 years. If you thought the Buffs were having it rough this year, then you have no clue where the Gators stand. This year is do or die for the team and Billy Napier. With the last 2 seasons being nothing but disappointing, the Gators have got a rough schedule during the 2024 season and have to pull in at least 6 wins. QB Graham Mertz is coming back this year after recovering from his collarbone injury. The kid managed to clock in a 72% completion rate and around 20 TDs during the 2023 season. An anonymous coach also told a news outlet that Mertz could “save Billy’s job.” 

While the 2024 year looks grim for the Gators, the 2025 class on the other hand has quite the surprise. We got the news on August 17th that Billy Napier has managed to secure CB Ben Hanks Jr. for the class of 2025. The 6’1” 4-star brings in solid skill for the team. He has been marked as the 13th commit for Napier’s 2025 class. The kid has also managed to secure the No.10 CB position in the 2025 class as per On3 and also the No.72 overall national prospect. Back during the junior year, Hanks managed to secure 38 tackles and 3 blocked field goals. These stats also got him the All-Dade 2M-1M.

“I believe in Coach Napier,” Hanks had said when he was asked why he chose the Gators. Bringing Hanks on the team will also allow DB coach Will Harris to build up the team’s defense even better. The kid is already very talented and Harris would easily be able to create the Gators’ future secondary around him. What is even more fun is that by bringing in Hanks, Napier is seeing a hell lot of praise on X.

Billy Napier ‘respects the UF history’

One fan took to X to share the news and mentioned, “Ben Hanks Jr.’s commitment to the #Gators is the latest indication Billy Napier respects the history of the UF program”. Billy Napier has always had a liking towards former Gators stars. He has secured former players like Myles Graham, Lawrence Wright, and Kahleil Jackson onto the Gators’ staff. Whether walk-on or portal recruits, Gators and Napier will never stop pursuing players with ties to the Florida football program. Another fan wrote, “BILLY NAPIER DID THE DAMN THING ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON”. Napier had posted a sunglass and smiley emoji back on Friday and now on Saturday, we got the news that Hanks was on the team. 

One more fan mentioned, “Can we all officially agree that Billy Napier can recruit circles around Dan Mullen?” Mullen was the HC for the Gators before Napier took over. Gators fans know that Mullen was not good with recruitments and building his roster and the steps Napier is taking during his run proves that he can outdo Mullen any day. Finally, following the Dan Mullen comment by the previous fan, another fan mentioned, “Yes, factual”, agreeing that Napier is better than Mullen.