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4-star DL Valdin Sone names final 4, sets commitment date

IMG_6615by:Blake Alderman•07/16/25•

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2026 DL Valdin Sone
2026 DL Valdin Sone

One of the top uncommitted defensive recruits in the 2026 cycle is nearing a decision. Dyke (Va.) Blue Ridge School 4-star defensive lineman Valdin Sone will announce his college commitment this Friday (July 18), according to Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett. Sone will pick between Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and Nebraska later this week.

The Florida Gators have hosted Valdin Sone several times

The Florida Gators extended an offer to Sone in March of 2024. At the time, he was a 2027 prospect, but later reclassified to the 2026 class. As a 2026 prospect, the Gators’ interest never wavered. Since that offer from the Orange and Blue, Sone has visited Florida’s campus in the neighborhood of 8 times. It’s allowed him a chance to see everything on campus and forge connections with Florida’s staff. The best relationship that Valdin Sone has in Gainesville is with defensive line coach Gerald Chatman and defensive line assistant Jeremy Patterson.

“The love I get from Coach Chatman and Coach Patterson, it’s all real,” Sone said. “They’re really trying to make me to come here and I’m digging it as well. Florida, it’s strong; it’s up there for sure.”

Florida head coach Billy Napier has also been hands-on in recruiting Valdin Sone as well.

“Me and Billy Napier have got an incredible relationship,” Sone told Gators Online earlier this year in the spring. “He actually came to my school and stuff.”

Though Sone has a quartet of teams remaining in play ahead of his decision, there is one program that’s starting to pull away on the Rivals RPM. The Georgia Bulldogs have the majority of the buzz to land Valdin Sone later this week. The RPM also reflects that, giving UGA a 95.6 percent chance to land the Rivals300 prospect. Florida was the previous RPM leader for Sone, but the Gators’ chances have seemed less likely in recent months. As his comitment date closes in, Georgia is the team gaining predictions.

This summer, Sone took official visits to Auburn, Nebraska, Florida, and Georgia in that order. The Gators were squeezed in for a mid-week official visit in June. He was previously scheduled to visit the weekend of June 13, but eventually swapped that trip out to see Nebraska. Given the priority that most teams in college football make on the defensive line, teams may continue to recruit Sone leading up to signing day in December.

The Rivals Industry, a weighted average of the four major recruiting services, ranks Valdin Sone as the nation’s No. 131 overall player.

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