Florida lands three-star OT Tyler Chukuyem, capping another big recruiting win for 2026
Florida lands three-star OT Tyler Chukuyem, capping another big recruiting win for 2026
The Florida Gators' class of 2026 remained scorching hot on Monday when three-star offensive tackle Tyler Chukuyem announced his commitment, per Blake Alderman of Gators Online.
The 6-foot-6-inch, 290-pound offensive tackle out of South Paulding High School in Douglasville, Georgia, becomes Florida's fourth offensive line pledge and the 12th overall commitment in the cycle, continuing the momentum Billy Napier's staff has generated this summer.
Chukuyem needed only one visit to know Gainesville was home. During his weekend stay, he sampled the campus culture, dove into Florida's academic resources and sat down with line coach Rob Sale to break down film and future plans.
"They have a new field coming up for what I want to study," Chukuyem told Gators Online. "I'm trying to study data analytics. Like I said before, they have a good education program...It carries a lot, because education is the number one priority for me and my family. Education is a big deciding factor."
By the time he left on Sunday, he had quietly informed the staff he was ready to shut down his recruitment.
Chukuyem said conversations with Sale and assistant line coach Darnell Stapleton convinced him he would be developed properly–a sentiment reinforced after watching film of recent Gator lineman thriving on Sundays.
His commitment pushes Florida's 2026 haul to a dozen names, joining four-star quarterback Will Griffin, four-star receiver Justin Williams and fellow big men Chancellor Campbell, G'Nivre Carr and Javarii Luckas in what's quickly becoming a foundational class up front.
Florida football's summer run shows no sign of slowing, and landing a high-ceiling tackle out of the Peach State underscores the staff's focus on replenishing the offensive line with athletic, academically motivated prospects.
Recruiting Summary
Chukuyem enters Florida's class with solid three-star credentials across the major scouting services. The 247Sports proprietary grade pegs him at 89 overall, ranking him the No. 36 offensive tackle and No. 47 prospect in Georgia. On3's industry metric places him as the No. 67 offensive tackle and No. 86 prospect in the state.
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