3 Gators Named to Comeback Player of the Year Preseason Watch List
Florida Gators wide receiver Eugene Wilson III, defensive lineman Jamari Lyons and defensive back Aaron Gates are on the preseason watch list for the 2025 Comeback Player of the Year Award.
The award recognizes athletes who have overcome injuries, illnesses or other setbacks in the previous year. Since 2018, the watch list has highlighted 75 players who worked hard to return to full health and help their teams compete at a high level.
Wilson, a redshirt sophomore, missed most of last season with a hip injury. After a standout freshman year, expectations were high for his sophomore season. He played in the team’s first four games in 2024, catching 19 passes for 266 yards and a touchdown. His lone score came on an 85-yard jet toss from DJ Lagway against Samford.
Lyons, a redshirt junior, was set for a bigger role in 2024 after recording 20 tackles, including 10 solo stops and 2.5 tackles for loss in 2023; however, during the first scrimmage of fall camp, he suffered a broken ankle that required two surgeries and extensive rehab.
As for Gates, a redshirt sophomore, tore his ACL in last season’s game against Ole Miss. Although he missed the final two games of the season, Gates had been a key part of the defense at the STAR position. In nine games, he recorded 27 tackles, including 14 solo stops, four tackles for loss, three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, one interception and a quarterback hurry.
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The Comeback Player of the Year Award selects three winners from the watch list. A panel of Associated Press college football writers and sports information directors chooses the honorees.
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