Florida Gators sign 4-star WR Marquez Daniel

Florida signed Tuskegee, Alabama, four-star receiver Maquez Daniel just after 9 a.m. ET on Wednesday.

Daniel committed to Florida in June over Auburn while on an official visit. He previously visited with the Tigers, but the Gators won the recruiting battle. He's the third four-star receiver recruit to sign with the Gators this cycle, behind Justin Williams and Davian Groce, but his skillset is unique from the other two. Groce is a big-bodied, deep-threat receiver, standing at 6-foot-5-inches.

Wide receivers coach and interim head coach Billy Gonzales played a pivotal role in Daniel's recruitment. That relationship grew stronger throughout the year, but Billy Napier's firing did affect him. Despite being "hurt" that the head coach who recruited him was no longer at Florida, he stayed loyal to the Gators.

He took an official visit to Tulane, mostly to join his high school teammates on the trip, giving him a chance to see future Florida head coach Jon Sumrall in action — although he didn't know it at the time.

At 195 pounds, Daniel will have to add some muscle to win jump balls against SEC safeties, but he should outsize most defensive backs already. He's not going to burn anyone, but he will go over the top of them. He has a natural inclination to jump balls with good timing. Improving his get-off-the-line ability will turn him into a nightmare matchup.

The 247Sports composite lists him at No. 323 nationally and does not have him listed on the site's independent ranking system, the Top247, despite being ranked No. 134 at one point. He is ranked No. 34 among receivers and No. 11 in Alabama by the Top247.

Rivals has him at No. 272 nationally on its industry ranking (composite). Like 247Sports, Rivals does not have an independent national ranking for Daniel. He's No. 53 at his position and No. 18 in Alabama.

ESPN has him at No. 247 overall in the class, and No. 12 among both receivers and in-state recruits.

Player Profile

Hometown

Tuskeegee, Alabama

School

Booker T. Washington

Height

6-4.75

Weight

205

Position

WR

X/Twitter

@Quez_26

Instagram

@quez4k____

Player Notes

• Tabbed as a 4-star prospect by 247 Sports and ESPN

• Named the No. 247 player nationally, holding status as both the No. 12 WR and player in the state of Alabama.

• Earned eight player of the game nods during the 2025 season.

• Selected to the 2025 AHSAA North-South All-Star game.

• Totaled 102 receptions for 1,984 yards and 27 TDs, adding 195 yards and two scores on 21 carries. Also tallied one kick and punt return touchdown.

• Saw time on defense, racking up 57 tackles, eight interceptions, two PBUs and recovered two fumbles.

• Selected Florida over Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Ole Miss, Penn State, Tennessee and Texas, among others.

Recruiting Summary

Andrew Ivins, 247Sports Director of Scouting

"Jump ball winner with a hoops background that is a mismatch for most defenders with his size, balance and hands. Not a ton of verified information available, but appears to be lean and pushing 6-foot-5. Likely to undergo a major physical transformation once in the right developmental environment. Lacks polish and is far from a dynamic route runner, but is an easy mover that can build speed and cover a ton of turf with his stride.

At his best down in the red zone or near the sidelines, given the height advantage, but has found paydirt on screens and kick returns, which suggests there’s more to the player. Needs plenty of technical work and to master all of the little things, but is the type of athlete to bet on given the multi-sport profile and three-phase impact he makes on Friday nights.

"Likely going to be a longer burn and is probably tracking for a redshirt season, but could develop into a unique perimeter target in a balanced pro-style attack if it all comes together."

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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida football recruiting sign 4-star WR Marquez Daniel