Florida Gators Projected Offensive Depth Chart: Major questions at quarterback and a very deep wide receiver room
The Florida Gators offense is going to look a lot different in 2026 than it did under Billy Napier.
With the transfer portal window having been closed and the majority of the roster finalized, the Florida Gators are now turning their focus toward spring practice and the 2026 season. Head coach Jon Sumrall has a talented bunch on his hands.
What does each position look like heading into spring practice? The offense has a lot of question marks on it, but the answers could vault them to a lot of success.
Florida Gators projected offensive depth chart
Quarterback
Starter: Aaron Philo or Tramell Jones Jr. or Will Griffin
Backup: Aaron Philo or Tramell Jones Jr. or Will Griffin
This is going to be the focus of spring practice. The Gators added Philo from Georgia Tech where he played for two years under offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, and he is the front runner for the job. Leaving Georgia Tech before the Pop Tarts Bowl to follow Faulkner was a huge indicator about what the new regime thinks of him to replace DJ Lagway.
Even so, Jones is going to have every chance to show he can be the guy next season. He played sparingly as a true freshman, but his first action against Long Island showed his live arm, and it got the fanbase excited to see more of him.
The real wild card here is true freshman Griffin. He was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Florida this past year and comes to the Gators with a chance to make a bold statement. He’s a longshot to be the starter, but never say never.
Running Back
Starter: Jadan Baugh
Backup: Evan Pryor, Duke Clark, or London Montgomery
The top of this list is very simple: Baugh is the best running back in the country. It was huge for the Gators to bring him back, as he nearly left in the transfer portal. Having him as the centerpiece of the offense will be huge for whoever plays quarterback.
His backup is going to be very interesting. Both Pryor and Montgomery came to the Gators in the transfer portal, with the former entering his sixth season in college football. Clark is returning to the program after playing some last season. The second running back spot could be a committee approach, possibly gameplan specific, which could be the smart decision for Faulkner. Keep an eye on redshirt freshman Byron Louis to make an impact here.
Wide Receiver
Starter X: Dallas Wilson
Backup X: Khaleil Jackson or Micah Mays Jr.
Starter Y: Eric Singleton Jr.
Backup Y: T.J. Abrams
Starter Slot: Vernell Brown III
Backup Slot: Bailey Stockton or Davian Groce
This is the best wide receiver group the Gators have had in some time. Wilson, Brown, and Singleton are excellent players to have in the starting lineup and will be impactful from the start. There isn’t going to be any drama with those spots, but the rotational and backup roles are the most intriguing.
Abrams is the only other returning player projected in the two-deep, and he played relatively well last season in limited time. The Gators brought in a lot of transfer portal receivers, including Stockton, who also followed Faulkner from Georgia Tech. Even with all of the transfer portal players coming in, the three true freshmen in Groce, Justin Williams, and Marquez Daniel could have a meteoric rise like Wilson and Brown did last year in spring practice.
Tight End
Starter: Luke Harpring or Amir Jackson
Backup: Lacotta Dippre
Tight end only has one serious player returning, and it’s Jackson, who is a former top-10 recruit. That’s exactly what Harpring was, just one spot behind Jackson at ninth. His experience playing for Faulkner could give him the advantage over Jackson.
Dippre is the wild card here. Coming from James Madison and Charlotte before that where he was a defensive lineman, he was a key player for the Dukes, but faces an uphill battle to be a serious contributor in 2026.
Offensive line
Starter LT: Fletcher Westpahl
Backup LT: Eagan Boyer or Jahari Medlock
Starter RT: Caden Jones
Backup RT: Bryce Lovett
Starter LG: Knijeah Harris
Backup LG: T.J. Dice Jr. or Daniel Pierre Louis
Starter RG: Roderick Kearney
Backup RG: T.J. Shanahan or Emeka Ugorji
Starter C: Harrison Moore
Backup C: Jason Zandamela
This is the group with the most uncertainty. Harris, Kearney, and Westpahl are all returning players and have the inside track to getting starting spots for 2026. However, a new offensive line coach in Phil Trautwein, could make things a little more interesting.
Both Boyer and Shanahan followed Trautwein from Penn State, and they both could easily earn starting jobs at left tackle and right guard, respectively. The only spots that feel somewhat certain are left guard and center. The Gators will pick the best five players, and the next seven months will tell us a lot about the unit as a whole.
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