Florida's Best Player Named ESPN Preseason All-American
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Florida's Best Player Named ESPN Preseason All-AmericanThe Florida Gators will need to lean on their running game early in the season as the winner of the quarterback battle between Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. acclimates to being a starter at the college level.
At some point in the nine-game SEC schedule, the Gators will need Philo or Jones to push the ball down the field to win games against tough defenses. But Florida's identity should be as a running team, with its best player, Jadan Baugh, leading the way.
ESPN placed Baugh on its preseason All-American team list.
"Baugh put together a breakthrough sophomore season with the Gators in 2025 as the SEC's third-leading rusher with 1,170 yards and 10 total touchdowns on 5.3 yards per carry. He was a tough guy to bring down with his 81 forced missed tackles and 782 rushing yards after contact, according to ESPN Research, and Baugh led all conference backs with 33 receptions out of the backfield for 210 yards.
"He turned down significant pre-portal interest from SEC rivals to play for new Florida coach Jon Sumrall to keep powering the Gators' offense."
– From ESPN
Baugh could have had options to sign with any team in the country in the transfer portal this offseason. He chose to return to the Gators because he believed in head coach Jon Sumrall.
"One, just being a Gator is everything to me and being able to just play for the fans that support us when we're down, up, regardless," Baugh said at SEC media days. "They came around and embraced me with open arms just to keep going.
"But with the coaching staff, they came in with the fire in their eyes. And I told everybody that. When the coaching staff comes in with a fire in their eye and they're ready to just go, I'm ready to play right then and there."
Baugh is expected to be a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. With a strong campaign this fall, he could climb up draft boards before next April.
New offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner could unlock even better potential for the star running back.
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