BREAKING: Rivals250 LB Derek Wingo flips commitment to the Gators

After being teamed up with Penn State for roughly six months, Rivals250 linebacker Derek Wingo says he is no longer slated to play in the Big Ten with plans to stay put in the Sunshine State instead.

Wingo, who attends powerhouse Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas, has now joined forces with the Florida Gators after flipping his commitment on Saturday evening.

Dan Mullen's staff has been heavily pursuing Wingo over the past year, with the four-star prospect being labeled as a possible flip candidate in several GatorsTerritory articles.

During his time as a Nittany Lion, Wingo had been fairly well-reserved when discussing additional schools, but actually made the trek up to Gainesville twice in 2019.

"There's something I like about staying home to represent your state in the nice weather and having a chance for your family to make it to every home game," Wingo told Rivals' Rob Cassidy.

You can credit multiple Florida staff members for closing the deal here, most notably ace recruiter and linebackers coach, Christian Robinson, who made the trek down to STA multiple times this offseason.

"Coach Robinson and (defensive coordinator) coach (Todd) Grantham have a plan for me and where I'll fit," Wingo told Cassidy. "I'm confident that they can develop me in the best way I can be."

The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Wingo checks in as the fifth-ranked inside linebacker and 150th-ranked player overall on Rivals.

With Wingo in the fold, the Gators now hold 16 commitments in the class of 2020, with Wingo being the lone linebacker pledge. Eleven of those prospects attend high school in the talent-rich Sunshine State as well.

Also, tonight's commitment from Wingo adds 128 points to UF's class, placing them sixth overall and now ahead of North Carolina, Ohio State and Notre Dame.

UF fans, you can get accustomed to Wingo's style of play by viewing his junior highlights at the bottom of the page.

Stay tuned to GatorsTerritory.