By now, it’s well-known that the Florida Gators narrowly missed out on recruiting the Boozer Twins, finishing third behind the victorious Duke Blue Devils, who secured both verbal commitments on Friday.
What makes this loss particularly difficult for the Gators is that they were once considered frontrunners for the twins. However, after the twins took unofficial visits to Duke, Miami, and Florida, Duke managed to win them over, as reported by 247 Sports’ Travis Branham.
In light of this setback, it’s a good time to consider where Gators head coach Todd Golden will focus his recruiting efforts next.
Jackson McVey, a center ranked 25th nationally and eighth among players from Georgia by ESPN, is one option. Although he isn’t a five-star recruit, Golden continues to pursue him seriously. The 7-foot-1, 225-pound center plays for Overtime Elite, a league for high school prospects. McVey took an official visit to Gainesville in late September, which appears to have gone well, as he later revealed a top five list that included the Gators, along with Georgia, Georgia Tech, Florida State, and Stanford.
Another prospect to watch is Alex Constanza, a 6-foot-8, 207-pound small forward currently rated as the 21st-best player in the 2026 class by 247 Sports and the fourth-best from Florida. He plays for Westminster Academy, which also has current Gators commit Alex Lloyd.
Constanza appreciates the option of staying close to home, mentioning, “Todd Golden is a great coach who always supports and watches, and they have a fantastic staff.” He is currently classified as a 2026 recruit, but there’s potential for reclassification, as he discussed this possibility with Branham.
Landing Constanza would be an important achievement for Golden following the loss of the Boozers, but it remains uncertain whether he can secure his commitment in 2026 or sooner.
At this point, these two prospects seem to be the main focus. While Golden is likely recruiting other players, McVey and Constanza are currently the only two who have publicly shown interest in the Gators and should be prioritized.
