Longtime player Waltez Clark signs with Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The first signee for the Florida Gators’ 2025 recruiting class has been announced.

Plant High School (Tampa, Fla.) running back Waltez Clark, a 2025 Florida senior, signed his paperwork to join the Gators during the early signing period.

Clark is a four-star recruit in the 2025 class, according to 247Sports, which also considers him a top-20 running back recruit.

Clark is the longest-tenured player in the Gators’ 2025 class, having been there since September 2023. He announced his commitment to the Gators after a surprising win over the Tennessee Volunteers in the Swamp.

There were many schools that offered Clark, including Alabama, Florida State and Georgia, but none have been able to pry the Florida State product since he committed.

And while those schools remained on his mind at the start of the summer, he said he eventually stopped recruiting after a final official visit to Gainesville Gators illustrated.

“NO. “It’s done,” he said when asked if he was accepting further visits. “… (UF) appreciated it. I wouldn’t say they wanted me to do it. They said , I could (talk to other schools), but I just don’t want to.”

Clark is one of three commitments to the Gators’ running back position. The other two in the class include Byron Louis of American Heritage (Florida) and Chad Gasper of Katy Jordan (Tx.).

Learn more about Clark’s abilities at Gators Illustrated’s Recruitment profile below.

“Clark, Florida’s first commit of this class, was an all-rounder for Plant High School with experience as a running back, receiver and linebacker. In his first two years at the university, Clark shone with a total of 33 touchdowns and 1,339 total yards. 8.2 yards per carry was considered a part-time receiver with 870 yards and a total of eight touchdowns as a receiver with over 800 yards of total offense and 13 touchdowns He ran a versatile 100-meter dash for Plant in his senior season after his official visit on June 17, 2024 He was Florida’s highest-rated offensive player by 247 Sports (No. 239) at the time of his commitment.”