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Gators to get OV from 4-star edge Jake Kreul, a top-50 national recruit

On3 imageby:Keith Niebuhr•05/01/25•

On3Keith

Jake Kreul- Jpeg
Jake Kreul (Keith Niebuhr/On3)

Four-star edge Jake Kreul, an Orlando-area native now playing at Bradenton IMG Academy, announced Thursday night via X he will officially visit the Florida Gators on June 7. Kreul, the No. 6 edge and No. 36 overall prospect nationally for the On3 Industry Rankings, revealed his other officials in the same post. They will go to the following schools: Colorado (May 2) Ohio State (May 30), Texas (June 13) and Oklahoma (June 20).

Kreul has visited the Gators multiple times, most recently in March.  He was on campus in January, too. During the March visit, Kreul not only met with the UF coaching staff, but got to watch practice.

Florida is a top contender for Kreul at least party because of the relationship he has built with UF edge coach Mike Peterson. One thing they have in common and something that has connected them is the competitive nature in each. Meanwhile, Florida is doing a good job of making sure Kreul knows he is wanted in Gainesville and those efforts are being led by Peterson.

“I’d say I’m fairly close with (Peterson),” Kreul told Gators Online. “I’ve known him for a long time. Just because as a kid growing up a Gator fan, I was doing all the little Gator camps and he was always there. I think he likes my pass rush ability — my ability to get the quarterback. That’s kind of my X-factor. He needs a pass rusher in the class of ’26 and the message that I receive is that I’m the pass rusher he wants to bring in to sack the quarterback.”

The best part of that trip to Gainesville in March?

Kreul told Gators Online it was talking to the staff and players after practice, along with attending the UF team meetings. To Kreul, that allowed him to not only bond more with people, but get real insight into the program and how it operates. He got to see up close how Peterson coached and then break down the practice and hear him explain to the players how he felt like they performed. Kreul found that beneficial since Peterson would be his position coach if he chooses UF.

Another highlight was Kreul’s one-on-one meeting with Gators coach Billy Napier.

When the March visit concluded, Kreul said the Gators “helped themselves for sure.” He made the trip with his father, who once was a student at UF.

Now, the Gators hope to impress Kreul again in June when he returns for his official.

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