The Florida Gators football team climbed the 2025 recruiting rankings after earning a commitment from four-star cornerback Ben Hanks Jr. The 6-foot-1 lengthy defensive back is the son of former Gator linebacker Ben Hanks Sr. and will seek to carry out his father’s legacy in Gainesville.
The four-star in-state talent is the No. 81 top football recruit in the nation according to 247Sports and stands No. 10 in the country at his respective position. Hanks Jr. is the 13th commit of head coach Billy Napier’s 2025 class and improved the Gators recruiting rankings for the cycle to No. 30 in the nation.
Hanks Jr. is currently a multi-sport athlete excelling at both track and baseball at the prep level. As a freshman at Doral Academy, he saw meaningful time on the varsity team and made the most of it, totaling 23 tackles and two interceptions.
As a sophomore, he transferred to Booker T. Washington. Hanks Jr. played a pivotal role in the team’s 9-3 finish while making an appearance in Florida’s 2M playoffs. He recorded 31 tackles, eight pass breakups and three interceptions in just 11 games in 2022.
Hanks Jr. followed up with an even more sensational junior year, when he was nominated an All-Dade County selection by the Miami Herald, posting 38 total tackles, six picks and three blocked field goals.
He’s Florida’s first defensive back commitment of the 2025 cycle and becomes UF’s third-highest recruit in the class. The Florida native gives defensive backs coach Will Harris a solid foundational piece to build UF’s future secondary around.
Contact Max at mtucker@alligator.org. Follow him on X @Max_Tuckr1.
Max Tucker is a junior transfer student at UF. After obtaining his A.A. in Journalism from Santa Fe College in 2023, he chose further his education at Florida's College of Journalism and Communications. Max is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Journalism with a specialization in sports and media. He enjoys golfing and going to the beach with his friends in his free time.
