ESPN Names Freshman WR As Gators’ Best Newcomer for 2025

The Florida Gators lost two of their best wide receivers to the NFL Draft this past season Chimere Dike and Elijhah Badger. However, Florida Gators’ head coach Billy Napier and his coaching staff have heavily recruited the country including flipping some of the best recruits in the country.

One such recruit is wide receiver Dallas Wilson, a former five-star commit of the Oregon Ducks. Wilson flipped his commitment and signed with the Florida Gators earlier this year. He has already impressed many coaches during the spring football practices and the spring game that ESPN named the wide receiver the best newcomer for the Florida Gators in 2025. In the spring game alone, Wilson made 10 catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns. If that is any indicator of how good the five-star will be, it could be scary for any team that has the Florida Gators on their schedule in the fall.

He was ranked as the No. 43 recruit in the ESPN 300 list. Alongside UCLA transfer J. Michael Sturdivant and fellow freshman Vernell Brown III, Wilson helps make up one of the most exciting and intriguing wide receiver rooms in the country.

Throughout his high school career, Wilson racked up 2,500 receiving yards. On top of that, he is 6-4, 190 pounds. He also ran 4.5 40s in high school according to ESPN. Now in college, he might get a bit faster. As he builds muscle and becomes stronger, he could be on a path similar to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Mike Evans who will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he retires.

As Wilson and the Gators prepare for the upcoming season, we can be sure that Wilson will be a major part of the Gators' talking points moving forward as he and Gators’ starting quarterback D.J. Lagway returns to practice. Lagway did not participate in spring football due to an injury to his shoulder. He has now started throwing again and will be returning soon.

More on Gators Illustrated