6 Florida Gators listed as Top 100 players this college football season

College football season is getting closer, and there is less than a week left until the 2025 campaign gets underway. To celebrate, On3’s Clark Brooks broke down the Top 100 Players in College Football for the 2025 season. Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith headlines the Top 100 list. The entire countdown of Brooks’ top players can be found HERE.

The Florida Gators are well represented on this list, with six current players included. Each of these players has made a significant impact for the Gators since arriving in Gainesville.

Florida Gators SO QB DJ Lagway – No. 12 on the list

There are high hopes for Florida Gators QB DJ Lagway as he enters year two in the program. As a freshman for the Gators last season, Lagway played in 12 games (7 starts) and went 6-1 in games as the starting QB. He accounted for 1,915 yards, 12 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He tied Chris Leak for most wins as a UF true freshman quarterback.

Here is what On3’s Clark Brooks had to say about Lagway

Brooks: “Lagway oozes juice. He was the only P4 QB to sport a double-digit PFF Big Time Throw%. He led the SEC in Splash Pass% (+35). And he finished with college football’s 2nd-best yards/dropback clip…as a freshman. 

“Granted, the Samford game considerably boosted his bottom line. But even with that matchup omitted from his profile, both his 8.7 Y/A and 15.6% Explosive Pass% (+20) were top of the crop in my off-season QB study. Florida might be set up to fail due to another brutal schedule. But Lagway’s haymakers ought to give the Gators a fighter’s chance any given Saturday.”

Florida Gators R-SR IOL Jake Slaughter – No. 29 on the list

The Florida Gators anchor on the front line. It was huge for UF to get center Jake Slaughter back for his final year of college eligibility, as he could have been a high-round pick in the most recent NFL Draft. Slaughter started all 13 games for the Gators last season and led the Gators’ offensive line in snaps with 800 last season. PFF graded him as UF’s top performer in both pass protection and run blocking, and by season’s end, he was a consensus All-American. Slaughter has continued to get All-American recognition this preseason.

Florida Gators RSSR DT Caleb Banks – No. 58 on the list

Getting defensive lineman Caleb Banks back for his final season was another major offseason win for the Florida Gators. He arrived at UF from the transfer portal and spent his first two seasons at Louisville. Banks has logged 21 starts, but has appeared in 24 games in two seasons at UF. He’s accounted for 40 tackles (9 TFL), 5.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in his Gators career. Banks has been consistently projected first-round NFL Draft pick in the 2026 draft by several publications. ESPN was the latest to mock Banks as a first-round pick in their latest preseason projections.

Florida Gators R-SR OT Austin Barber – No. 69 on the list

You may be starting to see a theme here, but this was another offseason win for the Florida Gators to get offensive tackle Austin Barber back for his final season of eligibility. It’s significant to have 4 of your 5 starters on the offensive line back at UF this season. With Barber, it’s big for the Gators to get their experienced left tackle back. Barber was second on UF’s offensive line last season in snaps with 729, and also had a run block grade of 70.0 according to PFF. He enters this season as a preseason All-SEC first-team choice by both the media and the coaches. ESPN’s Field Yates also recently projected Barber to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Florida Gators R-SR Edge Tyreak Sapp – No. 75 on the list

Another Florida Gators upperclassman who chose to return to college for their final season. Edge Tyreak Sapp led the Gators with seven sacks and 13 tackles-for-loss, as well as tying for the team lead with two forced fumbles. His 90.4 PFF grade is the highest among all qualified Florida players. That grade was the eighth highest among all FBS edge rushers, fifth highest among SEC edge rushers. Furthermore, those numbers are the highest of any Florida defender since 2019.

Florida Gators R-SO WR Eugene Wilson III – No. 81 on the list

Wide receiver Eugene Wilson III started his Florida Gators career off with a bang as a true freshman in the 2023 season. That year, Wilson finished his freshman campaign with a team-high six touchdown catches, second on the team in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving yards per game. Last season, Wilson started four games, but missed weeks 3-6 with injury. He later sustained a season-ending injury, which led to his redshirt. Wilson had surgery on a nagging hip injury last year and is back healthy. Wilson has added bulk to his smaller frame, and checks in at 194 pounds ahead of this season, after arriving as a freshman at 170 pounds. The injuries caused a step back for Wilson last season, but don’t be fooled, this is an electric playmaker who can turn nothing into a big play with ease.