Florida Gators Football

The Florida Gators have fallen on hard times in recent years, but the 2024 team ended on a high note, winning its last four games (including victories over ranked teams Ole Miss and LSU) to cap an 8-5 season.

Now members of that squad are headed to the NFL.

Florida has typically featured elite prospects selected in the first round, with six notably going on Day 1 in the past five years.

This doesn't appear to be a year where Florida will have any Day 1 prospects, and the Gators very well may not have any Day 2 players either.

Only one Gator is ranked on the 250-player B/R NFL Scouting Department big board, and he's at No. 243 (cornerback Jason Marshall Jr.).

Still, there's certainly talent available out of Gainesville. Wide receiver Elijhah Badger was a big-play threat any time he touched the ball, averaging 20.7 yards per catch (39 receptions, 806 yards, four scores). The same went for wide receiver Chimere Dike (42 catches, 783 yards, two touchdowns). On the ground, running back Montrell Johnson rushed for a career-high 5.9 yards per carry.

The defense, which shined down the stretch (13.0 PPG allowed in four games), also has some talent here. Defensive tackle Cam Jackson received a Round 5 projection from NFL.com; he's a run-stuffing nose tackle. Linebacker Shemar James amassed 64 tackles, including 11 in a 27-16 upset win over LSU.

The aforementioned Marshall could have very well received a higher projection, but he unfortunately missed the back half of the season with an injured labrum.

And now they all look toward the NFL. Here's a look at their pro landing spots.

Florida NFL Draft Prospect List

DT Cam Jackson: Round 5, Pick 2 (No. 140 Overall): Carolina Panthers (After Trade With New York Giants)

WR Elijhah Badger: UDFA

WR Chimere Dike: Round 4, Pick 1 (No. 103 Overall): Tennessee Titans

RB Montrell Johnson Jr.: UDFA

LB Shemar James: Round 5, Pick 14 (No. 152 Overall): Dallas Cowboys (After Trade With Arizona Cardinals)

CB Jason Marshall Jr.: Round 5, Pick 12 (No. 150 Overall): Miami Dolphins

OT Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson: UDFA

DT Desmond Watson: UDFA

QB Graham Mertz: Round 6, Pick 21 (No. 197 Overall): Houston Texans (After Trade With Denver Broncos)

P Jeremy Crawshaw: Round 6, Pick 40 (No. 216 Overall): Denver Broncos (After Trade With Houston Texans)

CB Trikweze Bridges: Round 7, Pick 40 (No. 256 overall): Los Angeles Chargers

List via NFL.com.

Dallas Wilson is heading to the Florida Gators.

The wide receiver, who 247Sports' composite rankings rank as a 5-star prospect and the No. 20 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class, was initially committed to Oregon but was granted a release before choosing the Gators.

Dynamic playmaker! 🔥

Time to shine, @18Dallaswilson 💯#GRIND25HINE pic.twitter.com/uxeejTwMSM

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 23, 2024

Matt Baker of The Athletic noted he asked Oregon to release him so he could be closer to an ill family member. Wilson went to high school in Tampa, Florida.

This is a major boost for a Gators program attempting to build some momentum under head coach Billy Napier.

Florida now has the No. 10 overall class for the 2025 cycle, per 247Sports, after landing the No. 13 class in 2024. It also has some momentum heading into the offseason after winning its final three games of the regular season and then the Gasparilla Bowl over Tulane.

Two of those late-season wins came over LSU and Ole Miss, underscoring some of the improvements the team made after a 4-5 start to the campaign.

Freshman quarterback DJ Lagway looked like a star in the making by the end of the season, and Wilson surely took notice when he was deciding where he would eventually go after asking for his release from Oregon.

The combination could be a critical one for multiple years for the Gators as they attempt to make up ground on some of the top teams in the SEC.

Baker noted Wilson caught 130 passes for 2,423 yards and 28 touchdowns during his final three seasons in high school, so Florida is getting a game-changing receiver who can make plays with his speed and physicality. He can serve as a matchup problem for opposing secondaries and should be a primary part of the receiver rotation in his first season.

As for Oregon, this is certainly a loss but it has the No. 5 class in the 2025 recruiting cycle and the No. 1 overall seed in the ongoing College Football Playoff rankings.

For the first time since 2019, Florida won a bowl game.

The Gators cruised to a 33-8 victory over Tulane in the 2024 Gasparilla Bowl on Friday.

ROLLED THE WAVE. 🐊

Presented by: @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/QTi6qjTDjr

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 21, 2024

Head coach Billy Napier's team didn't get off to a hot start, holding a narrow 6-0 lead at the half due to a pair of field goals from kicker Trey Smack. Still, Florida scored 10 points in the third quarter to gain some separation from the Green Wave before pulling away in the fourth.

FLORIDA FUMBLE TURNED TD 🤯😅

(via @SECNetwork)pic.twitter.com/Wv4gkJG7Wa

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 20, 2024

Tulane struggled offensively, missing quarterback Darian Mensah after he transferred to Duke on Dec. 11. Backup Ty Thompson started in Mensah's place, but offensive issues were rampant throughout the contest.

Thompson finished just 11-of-29 for 125 yards and one touchdown compared to three interceptions.

The Gators were buoyed by a strong rushing performance, picking up 224 yards on 44 attempts as a team. This included a one-yard carry by defensive tackle Desmond Watson that fired up his teammates on the sideline.

DESMOND WATSON GETS THE FIRST DOWN 😤 pic.twitter.com/jxJDiWXbzR

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) December 20, 2024

449-POUND Florida lineman Desmond Watson hit the Heisman pose after getting a carry as an RB 🤣🏆

ABSOLUTE LEGEND. pic.twitter.com/WZaDvkiIXx

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 21, 2024

Florida quarterback D.J. Lagway also threw for 305 yards and a touchdown to go along with a pair of interceptions.

Fans and pundits were impressed with the Gators' defense as well as the overall finish to the 2024 season by Napier's squad.

For Billy Napier to close out the season on a 4 game winning streak and serious momentum is remarkable. The @GatorsFB had a brutal 2nd half schedule and finished 8-5 w a bowl win. Well done in Gainesville.

— Kevin Negandhi (@KevinNegandhi) December 20, 2024

in all seriousness billy napier getting this team to 8-5 w/ a bowl win is impressive. they have recruiting momentum as well. should be legit next season.

— Kyron Samuels (@kyronsamuels) December 20, 2024

Second straight game that the Florida #Gators defense has held an opponent without a TD through three quarters.

— OnlyGators.com: Florida Gators news (@onlygators) December 20, 2024

Billy Napier just called a timeout to hand it off to 448-pound DL Desmond Watson on 3rd & 1, lol. I love it.

— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_OTF) December 20, 2024

10 straight games with a turnover for this Gators Defense 🐊🔥

— FLSportsTakes (@FLSportsTakes_) December 20, 2024

Big respect to Billy Napier and the Florida Gators.

Napier was practically fired after a 1-2 start.

Despite some huge injuries and one of the nation's toughest schedules, he rallied the Gators to a 7-3 finish.

All 3 losses came against playoff teams. Program: 📈 pic.twitter.com/SIgMFjSRjC

— Wake Up SEC (@wakeupsec) December 20, 2024

Billy Napier is up 26 and still pissed off on the sideline after using a TO. That's what we want 🔥🔥🔥

— GATORCHOMP🇺🇲🐊 (@GatorChompXX) December 20, 2024

Billy Napier began the season 1-2, and was looking like he was going to be fired by midseason.

He rallied the troops and went 7-3 down the stretch, including winning four in a row to finish the year, with wins over LSU, Ole Miss, FSU & Tulane.

Arrow pointed upward for Florida

— Locked On SEC (@LockedOnSEC) December 20, 2024

While Tulane was missing starters on both sides of the ball, it was still an impressive performance by the Gators against the second-best scoring defense in the AAC.

Florida hurt its chances at competing in the SEC by opening the year with a 1-2 record, but a strong finish to the season gives Napier's program some momentum heading into 2025.

Tim Tebow's 2008 Heisman experience featured some nausea.

During an appearance on SportsCenter, the former Florida Gators quarterback recalled his experiences at the Heisman Trophy ceremony, including his 2008 loss to Sam Bradford. He revealed that the pressure of the night caused a migraine that made him throw up after the event.

I was so nervous. I genuinely thought Darren McFadden was going to win. I thought I had a better chance the next year and then I lost. I actually did throw up after that one just because I had a migraine because of all of the pressure. But it is something that really is real. It's not just about you, that's what people have to understand. Yes, it's an individual award but your family and your loved ones and the university and your teammates, all of those came together to support you to get you here. And so, a lot of these young kids feel the weight of that, when you have your administration there and your family and all of these people that care about you. Like, I had a sister that flew in from Bangladesh just to be there to support me and like that was a weight and a pressure on itself and she's just doing that because she loves me. But you know you're representing her too, so I think we have to understand all of this. I was around all four of the finalists last night and it's so fun to watch their joy but to watch their parents and to watch their cousins and their siblings and their loved ones show up and it's just more than an individual award. It really is." 

Tebow had won the 2007 Heisman Trophy and he would win the Maxwell Award in 2007 and 2008. The 2008 season was also the year he secured his second National Championship and first as the team's full starter.

Tebow's 2008 season saw him throw for 2,746 yards with 30 touchdowns and just four interceptions while also adding 673 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground.

He would throw for 9,285 yards with 88 touchdowns and rush for 2,947 yards with 57 touchdowns on the ground in his collegiate career. He would then become a first-round draft pick in 2010.

Florida head coach Billy Napier apologized after Gators players planted a flag at midfield following a 31-11 win over Florida State on Saturday.

"Obviously, what happened there at the end of the game is not who we want to be as a program," he told reporters. "It's embarrassing to me, and it's a distraction from a really well-played football game. I want to apologize on behalf of the entire organization just in terms of how we represented the university there. We shouldn't have done that. We won't do that moving forward. And there will be consequences for all involved."

Florida edge-rusher George Gumbs Jr. theatrically drove a Gators flag through the FSU logo at midfield, a moment that sparked a shoving match between the two teams.

College football today 😳

Florida planted its flag on FSU's field 😬 pic.twitter.com/zIs7AMVgRl

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 1, 2024

At one point, Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell took the flag and threw it aside. He also had what looked like a tense postgame exchange with Napier.

Norvell said he "told him what I thought" in reference to the conversation.

"They won the game and they have the right to celebrate just like we have in the previous years," he said. "This is the way that you operate? That's fine. You want to come do that? That's absolutely your decision that you can have within a team."

Similar scenes played out across the country.

Tensions boiled over after Michigan's 13-10 victory over Ohio State in Columbus, and the situation was made worse when police used pepper spray on the assembled group of players and staffers.

Elsewhere, North Carolina wide receiver J.J. Jones took a North Carolina State flag and launched it like a javelin when Wolfpack players tried to drive it into the Kenan Stadium turf.

A team "planting" its flag at an away stadium after a big win is nothing new, and it has happened plenty of times before without incident. Players being petty toward their vanquished foes is part of what sets college football apart.

But what transpired Saturday led to inevitable handwringing about crossing a perceived line with postgame celebrations, and conference commissioners are unlikely to tolerate the on-field altercations.

Much in the same way the SEC has attempted to ban the act of storming the field/court, there could be similar measures intended to dissuade players from planting their school's flag.

It was the Quinn Ewers show in Austin as No. 5 Texas dominated Florida 49-17 on Saturday.

Ewers posted 297 passing yards and four touchdowns in the first 30 minutes of action, setting the Longhorns up for a stress-free second half. After taking their foot off the gas some in the second half, Ewers finished the game with 333 passing yards and five touchdowns.

The Gators struggled offensively without starting quarterback DJ Lagway. Aidan Warner completed 12 of his 25 pass attempts for just 132 yards and a pair of interceptions. Florida managed to put some points on the board after a first-half shutout, but its points came after Texas took its starting unit out of the game.

After the first-half route, fans blasted Florida head coach Billy Napier for his team's weak effort against the Longhorns.

Quinn Ewers at the Half:

17/25
297 Pass Yards
4 TD’s
220.6 Rating 🤯

Wow Wow Wow 🤯 🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/HasoqbIBxV

— Orangebloods.com (@orangebloods_) November 9, 2024

Scott Stricklin: “Billy Napier will be back as our football coach in 2025.”

The Texas offense: pic.twitter.com/B6RFiQkAaf

— Dawg Sports (@dawgsports) November 9, 2024

Florida telling billy Napier his job is safe and then being down by 30 at halftime is why Florida is the biggest joke in college football right now and there is no close second

— SportsTalkATL.com (@SportsTalkATL) November 9, 2024

Not sure how you can watch this game and think Scott Stricklin and Billy Napier need MORE time 🤣

— T (@tdgator9) November 9, 2024

Billy Napier’s locker room speech pic.twitter.com/zSDIclA4Hl

— Kevin G 🐊 (@_kevingx) November 9, 2024

Florida down 35-0 at the half in its first game after announcing that Billy Napier will return for the 2025 season.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) November 9, 2024

“Okay, now say your committed to Billy Napier before you go to Austin and get beat by a million.” pic.twitter.com/No1HfBoPT6

— Dylan Holt (@DylanHolt_) November 9, 2024

I think Billy Napier believes the worst team in the SEC gets the #1 recruit

— Nash (@NashTalksTexas) November 9, 2024

Coach Napier: pic.twitter.com/piU8I4Z2yX

— CJ McCann (@cjthemanmccann) November 9, 2024

Scott Stricklin's stance on Billy Napier right now. pic.twitter.com/0iUvBWMoYo

— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) November 9, 2024

The circumstances do not matter. Billy Napier is the worst coach in the history of UF football and is currently the worst coach in the SEC

— Track School 🐊 (@JasonMerslich) November 9, 2024

Penalties
Turnovers
Mental mistakes
Missed assignments
Missed tackles

That’s the culture Billy Napier has built. That doesn’t win anywhere, much less in the SEC. He tried, he failed. It’s time to move on.

— Mark Soulé (@msoule_) November 9, 2024

Earlier this week, Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin announced that Napier would return as the Gators' head coach despite a 4-4 start to the season and a 15-18 record overall.

A message from Scott Stricklin pic.twitter.com/NpLD6ktrHj

— Florida Gators (@FloridaGators) November 7, 2024

Perhaps Stricklin made the decisions prematurely, as a blowout such as Saturday's is far from the standard in the SEC.

In Napier's defense, Texas is one of the best teams in the SEC and college football. Aside from a loss to Georgia, the Longhorns have handled every opponent on their schedule with ease so far and seem well on their way to a College Football Playoff appearance.

Still, anytime you square off with an SEC opponent, it's expected you put up at least somewhat of a fight.

For years, being a national championship contender was the standard at Florida. That has not been the case during Napier's tenure. Florida finished 6-7 in his first season in 2022 before going 5-7 last year, marking the first time the Gators failed to clinch bowl eligibility since 2017.

Reaching a bowl game will be a tall task for Napier again this season. After Saturday's matchup, Florida will take on a pair of ranked opponents in No. 15 LSU and No. 16 Ole Miss before facing Florida State to close out the season. Winning at least two of their last three games seems nearly impossible for the Gators at this point.

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway will be a "game-time decision" for the Gators' matchup with No. 5 Texas on Saturday, according to Pete Nakos of On3.com.

Nakos noted that playing against the Longhorns is "important" to the Texas native. On Saturday, Pete Thamel of ESPN reported that Lagway is "not expected to significantly contribute" in the game.

Lagway suffered a hamstring injury during a three-yard run in the second quarter of Florida's 34-20 loss to No. 2 Georgia in Week 10. He wasn't able to put any weight on his leg and was subsequently carted off the field.

It initially appeared as if he'd miss significant time when the injury occurred, especially when he returned to the sideline in the second half with his leg in a brace and using crutches.

Gators head coach Billy Napier provided some optimism when speaking to reporters on Monday, though.

"The good news is we have positive information on that front," Napier said, via Nakos. "We do think that the injury is less significant. We do think there's a pathway for recovery and a return."

"He's been doing well so far this morning, so we have not completely ruled him out, and I think a lot of that will be to be determined as we move our way throughout the week," he added.

Lagway practiced in a limited capacity on Wednesday and was listed as questionable heading into Saturday's contest on the SEC availability report.

The true freshman dealt with some inconsistency after replacing quarterback Graham Mertz, who opened the season as the Gators' starting signal-caller before suffering a torn ACL on Oct. 12.

In eight appearances, Lagway has completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 1,071 yards and six touchdowns as well as five interceptions. He's also picked up 114 rush yards on 37 attempts.

MISSILE TO MIZELL‼️

📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/jDHCIrxGNo

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) November 2, 2024

If he's unable to suit up against Texas, walk-on Aidan Warner will start in his place. Warner struggled against a tough Bulldogs secondary after replacing Lagway, finishing 7-of-22 for 66 yards and an interception.

Lagway's status should become more clear as Saturday's SEC matchup draws closer, with kickoff at 12 p.m. ET.

Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin announced Thursday that Billy Napier will return in 2025 as the head football coach.

"I am confident that Billy will meet the challenges and opportunities ahead," he said. "We will work alongside him to support any changes needed to elevate Gator football. As college athletics evolves, UF is committed to embracing innovation and strategy, ensuring the Gators thrive in today's competitive landscape."

A message from Scott Stricklin pic.twitter.com/NpLD6ktrHj

— Florida Gators (@FloridaGators) November 7, 2024

Napier is midway through his third season at the school and has a 15-18 record since arriving.

Because of that underwhelming mark, a lot of Florida fans won't be thrilled to learn that Napier is sticking around, at least for one more year.

ESPN's Pete Thamel offered some context behind the school's decision, though, with NIL and contractual concerns playing a role:

Couple notes on Florida bringing back Napier.
Per ESPN sources, 70-percent of Florida’s NIL money is in freshman and sophomores. There’s a feeling in the program that star freshman QB DJ Lagway is aligned with Napier, and Napier can grow this core of young players. pic.twitter.com/SwKdmNSbKd

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 7, 2024

This decision comes with the backdrop of the expected passage of revenue share for the 2025 season, which portends a quieter year than normal for college coaching changes. Schools need to find an extra $20 million at the highest levels, which makes buyouts more difficult.

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 7, 2024

This also might reflect the shifting standards for Gators administrators thanks to the advent of the 12-team playoff.

Will Muschamp, Jim McElwain and Dan Mullen were all dismissed despite having records over .500. In the case of McElwain, things had turned sour before he even completed his third year at the helm.

All three were considered disappointments because they couldn't replicate the success of the Urban Meyer era or carry the Gators into the College Football Playoff. Now, the barrier for entry into the playoff is much lower, so it's easier to buy into the idea that Napier is good enough to at least make Florida a top-12 team and go from there.

Any coach is one good transfer portal away from turning things around as well.

Miami was mired in a similar level of mediocrity for years and now it's 9-0 on the strength of quarterback Cam Ward, who came in from Washington State. Leading tackler Francisco Mauigoa is also a Wazzu transfer, joining the Hurricanes in 2023, while sack leader Simeon Barrow was a Michigan State transfer in the offseason.

If Napier's return signals a stronger commitment from boosters and NIL collectives, then Florida will wind up having the last laugh.

Florida is keeping Billy Napier. Here's what has to happen next to avoid Groundhog Day.https://t.co/ykNXR3bmRa pic.twitter.com/FTkCwUrIx1

— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) November 7, 2024

Of course, if this is purely driven by Napier's buyout figure, then it's a choice that's potentially self-defeating. Hovering around .500 for another year will only lead the Gators to slip further down the SEC hierarchy and make it tougher to build a roster that's capable of contending.

Cutting a huge check is short-term pain for long-term pain. Texas A&M paid Jimbo Fisher more than $76 million to go away, and the Aggies probably aren't regretting that decision as they're off to a 7-2 start under Mike Elko.

Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway exited Saturday's game against No. 2 Georgia on a cart after suffering a hamstring injury.

"He's got a hamstring, pretty significant one, but he's a tough kid and I can promise you one thing, this team will rally behind him for sure," Florida head coach Billy Napier told ESPN's Holly Rowe at halftime.

Lagway appeared to suffer the injury on a short run on 1st-and-10 with a little over five minutes remaining in the second quarter. The freshman quarterback was unable to place any weight on his leg before being carried to the cart with just over five minutes left in the second quarter.

Prior to his exit, Lagway completed 2-of-6 passes for 47 yards and one touchdown.

Lagway was named the starter after senior quarterback Graham Mertz suffered a torn ACL against Tennessee on Oct. 12.

Since taking over as the starter, Lagway has posted a 62.8 percent completion rate, accumulating 1,024 total yards while throwing five touchdowns and five interceptions.

After lying on the field for several minutes while being attended to by trainers, Lagway's teammates joined him as the crowd chanted his name.

Chants of DJ Lagway break out at EverBank Stadium

The freshman QB is leaving the field on a cart

The Florida entire team comes over to check on him pic.twitter.com/6hSKWDBbGA

— Brandon Green🍀 (@BGreenReports) November 2, 2024

The Gators entered halftime with a 10-6 lead over the Bulldogs.

After securing a 10-0 lead, the Florida Gators lost to the Tennessee Volunteers 23-17 in overtime on Saturday.

Gators' starting quarterback Graham Mertz completed 11 of 15 passes for 125 yards and one touchdown, but it wasn't enough to fend off the Volunteers, who rallied with a touchdown in overtime to secure the win.

Both offenses struggled in the first half, with Florida leading 3-0 at halftime.

Tennessee's second-half comeback, where they outscored the Gators 17-14 to force overtime, sparked frustration among Florida fans. Many called for head coach Billy Napier's job after the Gators blew their lead against the No. 8 Volunteers.

Napier has faced repeated criticism from fans this season for his lack of offensive aggression and inability to maintain control in the second half of games.

With Florida's loss, the Gators drop to 3-3 on the season, while the Volunteers improve to 5-1, led by quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who finished the game completing 16 of 26 passes for 169 yards.

Once again, fans took to social media to roast Napier in his third season with the team.

Billy Napier turtles, plays for field goal, misses field goal. Florida may waste a great effort in Knoxville.

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) October 13, 2024

Nobody doing the S-E-C chant to this. pic.twitter.com/SVEdk23Rx9

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) October 13, 2024

Billy Napier has done the impossible, he has a halftime lead against a top ten team and we are still pissed off

— Hail Florida Hail (@HailFloridaHail) October 13, 2024

https://twitter.com/BlueOrangeG8r/status/1845261337036722346

The kids are playing well , the coach has killed them

— Dan Hicken (@DanHicken) October 13, 2024

I hope UF wins. I hope Napier gets fired and left in Knoxville. #GoGators

— Mother B (@mabennett1982) October 13, 2024

https://twitter.com/Bradleyc34/status/1845288069127131438

The fact we've been in the red zone all day and have 10 pts is peak Napier coaching.

— GatorAllijah (@GatorsfbFans) October 13, 2024

Billy Napier gives substitute teacher vibes

— Charlie Mitchell (@GnarlyCharlie12) October 13, 2024

Big return, one more chance. Let’s do this.

— NATIONAL CHOMPION Barstool Florida (@UFBarstool) October 13, 2024

Yall do realize that if Florida wins this, that means they will be stuck with Napier for another year 😭🤣

— CaptainEric 🇺🇸 (@CPTEric) October 13, 2024

Napier and the Gators will look to bounce back as they face the University of Kentucky next Saturday, Oct. 19 at home.