Easton Royal has flipped his commitment from Texas to Florida, ending an 11-month pledge to the Longhorns. The New Orleans native from Brother Martin High School, ranked as either the No. 1 or No. 2 wide receiver in the 2027 class depending on the outlet, made his move on Sunday—six days before Texas hosts Florida on Oct. 17. Per CBS Sports, the commitment gives Gators head coach Jon Sumrall his second five-star pledge of the recruiting cycle.
Reporting outlets disagreed slightly on Royal's exact ranking. Yahoo Sports and ESPN both identified him as the top-ranked wide receiver in the class, with ESPN noting he ranks No. 8 overall in the SC Next ESPN 300. CBS Sports listed him as the No. 2 receiver nationally. Royal initially committed to Texas on Nov. 29, 2024, but never fully closed his recruitment despite the year-long commitment.
The timing of the flip adds to a difficult stretch for Texas, which drew 24–24 at Oklahoma on Saturday and has now lost its last game. The Longhorns sit 4–1 overall and 1–1 in SEC play, currently eighth in the conference. Florida is struggling more acutely: the Gators fell to South Carolina 38–19 on Saturday, their second consecutive loss, and are 4–2 overall with a 2–2 conference record, placing them ninth in the SEC. Florida lost 45–17 at Missouri on Oct. 3 before that defeat to South Carolina.
4-2, 2-2 conf8th in SECStreak L2
Both teams arrive at the Oct. 17 matchup in different circumstances than either would prefer. Texas will face the recruitment blow at home, while Florida hopes the Royal addition signals momentum as it attempts to reverse course on the road in Austin.
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