Despite his commitment to Ohio State, elite 2025 five-star CB Na’eem Offord has been strongly pursued by Oregon and Auburn. In fact, an earlier report indicated Auburn might have a slight edge due to Offord’s girlfriend being from that area. But while this three-way tussle is going on, another SEC school has emerged as a contender.

A proper 5-star entry by Napier in the race. Call this the Lagway effect or the 27-16 LSU finish, but it looks like someone means business here. You know you are a true predator if you dare to snatch the prey from this Big Ten giant Ohio State Buckeyes. The February commit to Ryan Day, Offord can fall in the mouth of this huge SEC-sized gator. As they are now “legit” in his recruitment.

Having visited The Swamp in the spring, Offord was in attendance for the Gators’ win over LSU and was impressed with the atmosphere at the program and their overall game, reserving special praise for QB DJ Lagway.

“I feel like Florida is gonna be a top contender the next couple years with DJ (Lagway) at QB. He plays a big role. Plus they’re young with multiple freshmen on the field,” Offord told On3. But that was not all. Offord clearly stated that the Gators remain on his radar and he “loved” what he saw.

Speaking to Gator Country after his visit to Gainesville, Offord said, “They’re in the picture a lot. Especially with me coming down here for this OV. Actually seeing it for myself how the atmosphere really is. Building another relationship with the coaches, he was telling me to give them a shot. The coaches, like Coach [Will] Harris and them. So I gave them a shot and actually love it down here.”

Florida will see this as a major boost in their hopes of recruiting the 6-foot-1, 185-pound, prospect. Moreover, Offord was also excited at the chance to start early at the Gators intrigued him. Coach Napier hasn’t shied away from starting freshmen and had a few of them in the game against LSU.

“Coach Napier told me, ‘we not scared to start freshman,’ As you can see, they had about seven to nine freshmen starting on the field yesterday. They looked pretty good to me. They looked pretty good, pretty decent. You know, doing their job. Basically just showing me, if you start freshmen, I can come in right away and just start,” Offord added.

For the Gators, landing Offord would be a massive coup, as Billy Napier looks to restore Florida’s swagger on the recruiting trail. He could be their first 5-star recruit. Offord’s weekend in Gainesville, highlighted by a high-energy Swamp atmosphere, and his family also liking the visit, could be a turning point.

Meanwhile, he also noticed Florida’s defensive improvements this season. “Just progress. Just progressing, just getting better and better. You can tell they’ve been practicing, getting better every day, been focused and locked in,” he said. On3’s Hayes Fawcett also confirmed the CB’s interest. “Five-Star Plus+ Ohio State CB commit Na’eem Offord says Florida has emerged as a “legit contender” in his recruitment,” he noted.

There is little doubt that the Gators have left quite the impression on Offord, but before Florida fans start dreaming of seeing him line up alongside Lagway, they might want to cast their eyes to Auburn.

On November 4, On3’s insider revealed that Offord’s love life could impact his college decision. “If he wants to go away for school, Ohio State and Oregon are fitting that bill. Auburn is the one school keeping him close to home, which could play a big role in his decision. He has a serious girlfriend here, which, as we know, can influence the choice,” the insider said.

Not only this, but Offord also has a good relationship with Tigers cornerback coach Wesley “Crime Dog,” which could be a big factor.

Na’eem Offord has all the tools that make coaches salivate. But his knack for playing all sides of the recruiting field is turning heads too. He’s already visited Auburn, Oregon, and now Gainesville, raising questions about the strength of his Ohio State commitment. For a program like the Buckeyes, which thrives on locking down top talent early, Offord’s wandering eyes pose a significant challenge. Is it just curiosity, or is Florida making a serious case?

Meanwhile, Ohio State faces the uphill battle of re-recruiting a player they already secured. The only thing that’s left of Billy Napier and the Gators is to show him that they are the program “where he feels like he could develop and be the best player he can be.” The Parker High School kid is clutching it in their Playoff game a few days back.

The elite Na’eem Offord is sitting on a heap of praise

All the interest is valid in the elite cornerback as the way he is locking up receivers in high school. Not too long back Na’eem Offord was unstoppable, scoring three touchdowns to power No. 2 Parker past No. 5 Mountain Brook, 28-7, in the Class 6A playoffs. “He’s a game-changer,” Parker coach Frank Warren said. “He gives us a lift when we place him in the game. And he wanted the football.”

Offord’s performance lit up the field and set the tone for Parker’s dominant win. The Buckeyes boy (doubtful now) found the end zone on runs of 2 and 14 yards and 1 yard.

“My performance tonight should let everyone know that I am the best player in the state, if not the nation,” said Offord, the five-star cornerback recruit. Offord has no shortage of choices at his disposal when it comes to picking his college team. With Florida now a prominent player in the picture, things may not look so easy for Ryan Day and OSU as they did a few months back.