CBS Sports has Florida football RB Jadan Baugh as a 2026 breakout star

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Florida football running back Jadan Baugh headlined CBS Sports' list of the 13 players expected to become household names during the 2026 season.

CBS Sports' Chris Hummer pointed to Baugh's combination of power and production as a major reason he landed on the list. The 6-foot-1-inch, 231-pound running back is coming off a strong season in which he rushed for 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns, showing the kind of physical running style that makes him tough to bring down.

In 2025, Baugh ranked eighth nationally with 81 forced missed tackles, a number that shows how much of Florida's rushing offense came from his ability to create yards on his own.

With Florida's offense expected to rely heavily on Baugh and the run game, he might be asked to shoulder a significant portion of the workload on offense. It's also worth noting that the quarterback situation remains relatively unproven, which could make the running game even more central to the Gators' identity next season.

If Baugh's trajectory continues to go up, the Gators may have themselves a top-five running back in the country in 2026.

Here is everything Hummer wrote about Baugh.

What CBS Sports said about Baugh

"In talking with sources around Baugh's will-he, won't-he transfer flirtation this offseason, a big reason he opted to stay in Gainesville is the chance to be the face of a program. He'll have every opportunity to do that for Florida in 2026.

"Baugh never did go into the portal, but personnel sources viewed him as the potential top back in the 2026 transfer class. He's a bruising 6-feet-1 and 231 pounds and is coming off a 1,170-yard, eight-touchdown season. Baugh created a lot of those yards himself, finishing eighth nationally with 81 forced missed tackles.

"Given Florida offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner's run-heavy scheme and an unproven quarterback room, Baugh is going to be counted on to carry Florida's offense for stretches. Don't be shocked if he emerges as an All-American."

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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida football RB Jadan Baugh named 2026 breakout star by CBS Sports

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