Skip to main content
florida logo

5 Florida Gators ranked among nation's top players at their positions

On3 imageby:Zach Abolverdi•05/10/25•

ZachAbolverdi

DJ-Lagway-Jake-Slaughter-Florida-Gators
Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) celebrates with teammates at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, September 7, 2024 after defeating Samford Bulldogs 45-7. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]

Pro Football Focus is high on a handful of Florida Gators on this year’s roster. PFF recently released its top 10 returning players at every position entering the 2025 season.

Four Florida players were ranked in the top 10 at their respective positions, and a fifth Gator was included for honorable mention as the No. 11 player at his position.

First-team All-American center Jake Slaughter is the nation’s No. 1 interior linemen, according to PFF. Quarterback DJ Lagway and EDGE Tyreak Sapp are both ranked No. 7 at their positions.

Despite playing in just four games last year, Eugene Wilson III cracked the top 10 among returning wide receivers. Caleb Banks received honorable mention as the 11th-best interior defensive lineman.

Here’s what Pro Football Focus analyst Max Chadwick wrote about each player:

C Jake Slaughter (No. 1)

“One year after placing eighth on this list, Slaughter tops it after a stellar redshirt junior season. He was the only Power Four center to earn 80.0-plus PFF grades as a pass blocker and a run blocker. Even more impressive is that he faced a murderer’s row of defensive tackles, including Walter Nolen, Alfred Collins, Shemar Turner, Deone Walker, Omarr Norman-Lott and Joshua Farmer. All of those players should be selected in the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Slaughter’s 85.8 PFF overall grade since 2023 trails only Jackson Powers-Johnson among Power Four centers. He moves very well at 6-foot-4 and 308 pounds, allowing him to dominate in a zone blocking scheme.”

EDGE Tyreak Sapp (No. 7)

“Sapp enjoyed a major breakout in his fourth season with the Gators. His 90.4 PFF grade placed 10th among all edge defenders in America and second among returning ones. 

The former defensive tackle is at his best in the run game, placing fourth among all FBS edges in run-defense grade (88.7) while tying for fourth among Power Four ones in tackles for loss/no-gain (13). Sapp is a more than capable pass-rusher as well, earning an 82.2 grade in that regard. He plays with natural pad level at 6-foot-2 with the strength to stack-and-shed blockers very well.”

QB DJ Lagway (No. 7)

“Like [Arch] Manning, Lagway might not have a proven track record. But also like Manning, he has limitless potential. 

The true freshman showed why he was the top quarterback recruit in the 2024 cycle, leading the Power Four with an 8.8% big-time throw rate in 2024. Lagway’s 95.6 PFF passing grade on deep throws placed him third in college football. He’ll need to become more precise as a sophomore, though, as his 59.7 PFF passing grade on all other throws was the second-worst mark in the Power Four. 

It was still a very encouraging freshman year for Lagway, considering Florida’s brutal schedule. He may have more arm talent than anyone else in college football but needs to fine-tune his footwork and accuracy to potentially become the best quarterback in the nation.”

WR Eugene Wilson III (No. 10)

“Wilson played in just four games this past season following knee and hip surgeries.

His electric true freshman season was enough to earn him a spot on this list, though, with his 81.5 PFF receiving grade that year being a top-20 mark among Power Four wideouts, as well as his 480 yards after the catch and 18 forced missed tackles. Wilson was utilized mostly underneath during his freshman year with a conservative quarterback in Graham Mertz, but that should change next year with a gunslinger in DJ Lagway under center. Expect Wilson to bounce back in a major way.”

DL Caleb Banks (No. 11)

“At 6-foot-5 with long arms, Banks has been a highly productive pass-rusher during his two seasons with the Gators. The former Louisville Cardinal leads all returning Power Four interior defenders with 53 pressures since 2023, while his 12.7% pressure rate ranks second among returning defensive tackles nationwide.

There’s still room for improvement in the run game, as Banks has yet to earn a 70.0 run-defense grade in his career. However, with his length and pass-rushing ability, he has a high ceiling and could be a favorite among scouts leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft.”

You may also like