Florida lands commitment from 4-star safety Lagonza Hayward
The Florida Gators are one of the hottest programs in recruiting right now, and on Wednesday, they made another big splash by landing a commitment from 4-star safety Lagonza Hayward.
Representing Lyons (Ga.) Toombs County, Hayward is fresh off a de-commitment from Tennessee. That pledge was made in July, but the Gators never backed off and their recent uptick on the field did nothing but draw Hayward back in down the stretch. At one time, Florida was Hayward’s No. 1 option as well.
Now, the 2025 prospect is officially committed to Billy Napier‘s program. He was in Gainesville for an official visit during the weekend of June 14 and joins Hylton Stubbs and Ben Hanks Jr. as blue-chip DBs in the class.
“Florida has always been in the back of my mind,” Hayward told On3’s Chad Simmons. “When they played Tennessee and went to overtime against them at Neyland Stadium, I was like, ‘Hold on.’ I started paying attention to them… Their defense played great. Everybody was flying around. It wasn’t just one position group.
“The legacy at Florida is great,” Hayward added. “They’ve had players such as Brandon Spikes, Major Wright and Tim Tebow. Being a part of the recruiting class that can possibly bring that legacy back is big for me. They have all the coaches who are able to bring it back and now, they just need the pieces.”
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Lagonza Hayward is a national talent in the secondary
Hayward is the No. 81 overall prospect and No. 9 safety for the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 12-ranked senior in the state of Georgia.
On3, however, ranks the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder higher than other recruiting services, labeling him the No. 53 prospect and No. 3 safety overall.
During the 2024 season, Hayward recorded 32 tackles, eight pass deflections and an interception.
“Physical…Physical. Physical. Physical,” Toombs County coach Buddy Martin previously said of Lagonza Hayward when speaking with On3. “He flies around to the ball and makes sure you know he’s there. I’d also say he’s a gamebreaker. He made so many big plays for us this past season. We like to say that Lagonza plays with a hot motor. He’s just one of those special players that can do it all.”
Additional offers on the table for Hayward include Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, USC, Florida State, Missouri, Texas A&M, South Carolina and Mississippi State.
Stay tuned to Gators Online.
