GAINESVILLE In the run-up to SEC Media Days, this is the fourth position-by-position preview of the UF football team.
WIDE RECEIVER TODAY
What to anticipate
No one questioned Florida coach Billy Napier’s ability to find and recruit wide receivers, despite the criticism he received during his first three seasons. Napier may have his best collection to date with the 2025 Gators. The unit possesses pedigree and promise, speed and explosiveness, and length and leaping ability.
Tre Wilson’s eagerly awaited return from hip surgery, which limited him to five games in 2025 following a stellar 2024 season as a true freshman, was overshadowed by UF’s summer signings, which were headlined by first-year freshmen Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson and UCLA transfer J. Michael Sturdivant.
At the SEC Spring Meetings on May 29, Napier remarked, “He looked like a million bucks.” It was like, “I forgot about that guy,” every day.
However, considering sophomore DJ Lagway’s ability to throw the ball and his alternatives on the perimeter, the Gators are unlikely to surprise anyone in the passing game.
The group’s most promising member is Wilson. The 6-foot-3, 209-pound Wilson stunned coaches during workouts and spring practice prior to an Orange and Blue game that featured 10 receptions for 195 yards, both school records, and touchdowns of 20 and 19 yards after he de-committed from Oregon and arrived two hours from his Tampa home.
Brown may be UF’s most fascinating newcomer, aside from Wilson. According to 247Sports, Wilson was ranked No. 8 and the former Orlando Jones star was ranked No. 5 among the country’s receiver prospects. In addition to being a very successful receiver (2,871 yards, 21 scores on 164 catches in 2023–24), the 5-foot-11, 172-pound Brown scored four times on special teams in 2023 (three punt returns and a kickoff return).
Tre Wilson, a 5-foot-10, 191-pound player, has gained 10 pounds of muscle and 21 pounds since arriving in the summer of 2023 at 170 pounds, making him a faster and stronger version of the home run threat he was before. Although he only managed 19 catches for 266 yards and a touchdown in 2024, he went on to record 61 receptions for 538 yards and a team-high six touchdowns despite durability concerns.
Napier hopes Sturdivant, who played one season at Cal in 2022 and the other two at UCLA, maintains his stellar record with transfer receivers at UF. This includes Chimere Dike, a 2025 fourth-round pick, and Ricky Pearsall, a 2024 first-round pick. Sturvidant, who is expected to start alongside the two Wilsons, has size (6-2, 216) and experience (123 catches, 1,727 yards, 13 TDs in three seasons).
The 6-foot-3, 218-pound redshirt senior Kahleil Jackson is dependable and steady. Tank Hawkins and Aidan Mizell, sophomores, may be the two fastest Gators, but neither has demonstrated this ability on game days. Neashaun Montgomery, a 6-1, 185-pound Miami native and true freshman, is another UF wide receiver with lightning-fast speed, but he will probably have to wait his turn.
What they’re saying
Since we’ve been here and recorded speed, this is by far the deepest receiver group we’ve had. There is a great deal of speed. Therefore, that has the potential to be a strength for us. We have an opportunity to create more explosives in the future if we can distribute the ball, establish some balance there, and get strong quarterback performance. In the end, I believe that’s an area where we need to get better if we want to succeed. Napier
Returnees
Abrams, T.J.Hawkins TankJackson, KahleilWade JacksonMizell, AidanSpierto, TaylorWilson, Tre
Departures
Badger, ElijiahMarcus BurkeDikeJa Quavion Fraziars Chimere
Newcomers
True freshman Vernell Brown III (Orlando Jones)Maimi Central’s Naeshaun Montgomery, a real freshmanUCLA’s J. Michael Sturdivant, a senior redshirtDallas Wilson, a true freshman at Tampa Bay Tech
Depth chart projection
On line of scrimmage, or X-WRKahleil Jackson and Dallas Wilson, Z-WR (off line of scrimmage)Sturdivant J. Michael | Mizell AidanWilson’s Y-Slot | Vernell Brown III
Prior to
The quarterbackReturning by runningThe tight end
You can contact Edgar Thompson at [email protected].
