Florida football awards tracker, five former UF players invited to East-West Shrine Bowl

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Five former Florida football players accepted invited to the East-Wes Shrine Bowl in Frisco, Texas, a college all-star game for NFL scouts to be held Jan. 27, 2026.

Florida Gators edge rusher George Gumbs Jr., defensive end Tyreak Sapp, wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant, kicker Trey Smack and punter Tommy Doman accepted invites to the game which will be held at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

A transfer from Northern Illinois, the 6-4, 250-pound Gumbs recorded 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in two seasons at UF.

Sturdivant, a transfer from UCLA, had 27 catches for 406 yards and 3 TDs in his lone season with the Gators.

Smack connected on 18 of 22 field goals for UF in 2025, including 5 of 6 from 50 yards or longer. Smack’s 10 field goals of 50 yards or longer in his UF career stands as a UF record. Doman, a transfer from Michigan, averaged 44.0 yards on 50 punts, with 17 of his punts downed inside the 20-yard line.

The 6-foot-3, 274-pound Sapp recorded 10 career sacks and 21.5 career tackles for loss in five seasons at UF.

Florida football DT Caleb Banks, Florida football OT Austin Barber earn invites to Reece’s Senior Bowl

Florida starting defensive tackle Caleb Banks and starting left tackle Austin Barber accepted invites to the Panini Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., on Jan. 31.

After a breakout junior season that included seven tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 2024, the 6-6, 330-pound Banks appeared in just three games in 2025, missing time with a broken foot. Banks wound up with six tackles in the three games, including one tackle for loss and a fumble recovery.

Barber has made 38 career starts at left and right tackle for UF over the past four seasons.

The Senior Bowl is considered the nation’s top college football all-star game, which will attract coaches, scouts and personnel executives from all 32 NFL Teams. Banks and Barber are both projected to be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft next April.

Florida football C Jake Slaughter earns All-American honors, was Rimington Award finalist

Florida football senior center Jake Slaughter earned second-team AP All-American honors on Monday, December 15.

This makes the 6-foot-5, 303-pound Slaughter a two-time All-American, as the Sparr native earned first-team All-American honors last season. This year, Slaughter earned second-team honors behind Iowa’s Logan Jones, who also won the Rimington Trophy, given to college football’s best best center.

Slaughter started all 12 games for the Florida Gators this season and in 748 snaps and allowed just one sack, one quarterback hit and two hurries. Slaughter earned a Pro Football Focus offense grade of 78.9, a run block grade of 82.2 and team-high 87.1 pass block grade. In 12 starts, Slaughter graded 70 or higher as a pass blocker 11 times, per PFF.

Slaughter has made 33 career starts at center for UF over the last three seasons and emerged as a leader on UF’s offensive line. His PFF offensive grade of 81.1 ranked best of all UF offensive players in 2024.

Slaughter also was named one of three Rimington Trophy award finalists, a second-team, USA Today All-American, a second team Sporting News All-American and a second-team FWAA All-American.

Two Florida football players earn freshman All-SEC honors

Two Florida players earned spots on the freshman All-SEC team on Dec. 11. UF wide receiver Vernell Brown III and true freshman UF edge rusher Jayden Woods both made the squad for their performances during the 2025 season.

The 5-11, 178-pound Brown appeared in 10 games with six starts at wide receiver, leading the team in receptions (40) and receiving yards (512). He also emerged as one of the top punt return threats in the SEC this season, averaging 11.7 yards per return with a long return of 40 yards.

The 6-3, 248-pound Woods appeared in all 12 games for the Gators, making two starts. He recorded 28 tackles, 3.5 sacks for 23 yards, 5.0 tackles for loss for 28 yards, an interception, one pass break up, two quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery. Woods closed out the season co-leading the team with sacks (3.5) and was third on the team in TFLs (5.0).

With the honors, Florida has posted a league-leading 115 Freshman All-SEC honors and has had 14 total since 2022.

Five Florida football players earn coach’s All-SEC honors

Five Florida football players were named to the coach’s All-SEC team on Tuesday, Dec. 9.

Slaughter was the lone first-team All-SEC selection for the Florida Gators. Sophomore running back Jadan Baugh earned second-team All-SEC honors, while left tackle Austin Barber was named All-SEC third team, along with kicker Trey Smack (as a kickoff specialist) and long snapper Rocco Underwood.

The 6-1, 231-pound Baugh finished with 1,170 rushing yards, 210 receiving yards and 10 TDs (8 rushing, 2 receiving). Baugh’s 266-yard rushing performance in UF’s 40-21 win over rival FSU on Nov. 29 was the second-most in school history, behind only Emmitt Smith’s 316-yard rushing performance against New Mexico in 1989.

The 6-6, 314-pound Barber started all 12 games at left tackle for Florida in 2025, posting a a PFF run block grade of 82.2.

Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators’ national championship basketball season in “CHOMP-IONS!” — a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida football awards tracker, all-star game invites for 2025 season

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