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Two Gators make PFF's list of the Top 50 prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft

On3 imageby:Keith Niebuhr•05/20/25•

On3Keith

Florida Gators center Jake Slaughter (UAA Photo)
Florida Gators center Jake Slaughter (UAA Photo)

Florida Gators center Jake Slaughter continues to get lots of offseason attention. So does UF edge Tyreak Sapp. Tuesday, both players made a list from Pro Football Focus of the Top 50 prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Slaughter, a senior and returning consensus All-American, came in at No. 15. Wrote PFF:

Slaughter was the only Power Four center with 80-plus grades both as a pass blocker and as a run blocker. Making that even more impressive is the fact that he faced a murderer’s row of defensive tackles like 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 grade since 2023 trails only Jackson Powers-Johnson among Power Four centers. He moves very well at 6-foot-4, 308 pounds, which allows him to dominate in a zone-blocking scheme.

Sapp, also a senior, led the Gators with seven sacks and 13 tackles-for-loss in 2024. PFF, which has him at No. 27 in these rankings, said the following:

Sapp enjoyed a major breakout in his fourth season with the Gators. His 90.4 PFF overall grade placed 10th among all edge defenders in college football and second among returning players at the position.The former defensive tackle is at his best in the run game, placing fourth among all FBS edge defenders in PFF run-defense grade (88.7) while tying for fourth among Power Four players in tackles for loss or no gain (13) this past season. Sapp is a more than capable pass rusher, as well, earning an 82.2 PFF grade in that regard. He has a natural pad level at 6-foot-2 with the strength to stack and shed blockers very well.

Ohio State safety Caleb Downs was put in the top spot. He was followed by Clemson edge TJ Parker at No. 2 and Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods at No. 3. Of Downs, PFF wrote, “Downs, who transferred from Alabama last offseason, has been the most valuable safety in college football over the past two seasons according to PFF’s wins above average metric. His 91.7 PFF grade in that span is second among all FBS safeties, while his 91.2 coverage grade is third. Downs is also a fantastic run defender, leading all players on this list with 35 run-defense stops and an 88.5 run-defense grade since 2023.”

The following players on the list face the Florida Gators this season

4. QB Arch Manning, Texas
8. CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
9. OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami
12. EDGE Rueben Bain, Miami
13. LB Anthony Hill, Texas
18. QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
23. LB Taurean York, Texas A&M
25. CB Malik Muhammad, Texas
28. OG Ar’Maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M
32. QB Carson Beck, Miami
35. WR Kevin Concepcion, Texas A&M
36. S Michael Taaffe, Texas
38. EDGE Joshua Josephs, Tennessee

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