Historic Gator Draft: Every Round, Every Pick
In the 2026 NFL Draft, the Florida Gators achieved a first in program history by placing at least one player in each of the seven rounds. Caleb Banks opened the show in Round 1 with the Vikings, followed by Jake Slaughter to the Chargers, Austin Barber to the Browns, Devin Moore to the Cowboys, George Gumbs Jr. to the Colts, Trey Smack to the Packers and Tommy Doman to the Bills. This marks Florida’s most selections since 2021 and extends their streak of having at least one draftee in every NFL Draft since 1967.
Finally, Gator Nation can rest easy knowing they’ve cracked the seven-round code. Move over, lottery luck—Florida’s front office apparently just tossed player names into a hat and prayed seven times. Why stop there? Next year they’ll draft themselves, the mascot, and maybe a local hedge fund manager for good measure. It’s the Gators’ bold new strategy: if you can’t win on the field, at least draft everyone on it.
Undrafted Gators: Landing Spots and Second Acts
Despite the historic draft haul, several Gators went undrafted but quickly signed UDFA deals. EDGE Tyreak Sapp inked with the Browns after a promising but inconsistent college career. WR J. Michael Sturdivant joined the Packers, aiming to earn a spot in a thin receiver corps. Long snapper Rocco Underwood, the nation’s top snapper in 2024, signed with the Eagles under GM Howie Roseman. Florida will plug these roster holes with senior Kamran James, portal additions like Eric Singleton Jr. and new specialists for 2026.
Behold the thrilling world of undrafted free agency: where heartbroken prospects get slapped with “Congrats! Now prove you exist!” contracts and chase miracles in training camp. Tyreak Sapp will join Cleveland’s defense to remind them what “almost drafted” feels like. Sturdivant heads to Green Bay to catch passes in Lambeau’s perpetual “cold hands, warm heart” experiment. And Underwood snaps the ball for Philly, because nothing says “elite athlete” like impeccable spiral throws—all while praying for one perfect turkey-leg tackle.
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