Florida Gators reel in top safety with three-star commit, Bryce Thornton

Gainesville, Florida - The Florida Gators football program added the 21st commitment to their 2023 recruiting class on Thursday when three-star safety Bryce Thornton chose Florida as the school to elevate his game on the gridiron.

Bryce Thornton (r), a top-ranked safety in the 2023 recruiting class, committed to the Florida Gators football program.
Bryce Thornton (r), a top-ranked safety in the 2023 recruiting class, committed to the Florida Gators football program.  © Collage: JAMES GILBERT / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP / Screenshot / Instagram / brycethornton_7

Thornton, a Georgia legacy whose father played for the Bulldogs, received a total of 31 offers from several Power Five programs including Georgia, LSU, and Clemson, amongst others.

The star safety narrowed down his long list of options by choosing Florida over his other final offer from the powerhouse program at Alabama.

"The whole coaching staff just make it feel like home when I go to Florida," Thornton said about his decision to pledge to the Gators via an Instagram live. "[The coaches] make me feel like the main priority there."

76ers star Joel Embiid hit with NBA suspension for shoving journalist
Athletes 76ers star Joel Embiid hit with NBA suspension for shoving journalist

Ranked as one of the top 50 best safeties in the nation, Thornton posted an impressive 93 tackles, 12 pass breakups, five interceptions, and two forced fumbles over 15 games during his junior season.

As a member of Milton High School's football team, the 5-foot-10 athlete plays in class 7A – the highest classification of a high school football program in the state of Georgia.

Following a deep playoff run in 2020, Thornton led his Milton High School team to the state championship game last year.

Officially a member of the 11th best recruiting class of 2023, Thornton will join an extremely impressive group of defensive backs that includes four-stars Jordan Castell, Ja'Keem Jackson, Sharif Denson, and Aaron Gates.

Cover photo: Collage: JAMES GILBERT / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP / Instagram / brycethornton_7

More on Athletes: