Five Position Battles to Watch During Gators' 2026 Spring Camp

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The Florida Gators officially open its first spring camp under new head coach Jon Sumrall on Tuesday, looking to continue installing its offensive, defensive and special teams systems while also giving fans and the media its first look at the 2026 team.

A roster with 50 new players, there are plenty of roles on the depth chart that will be figured out during camp. That said, Florida Gators on SI lists its top five position battles to watch for camp.

1. Quarterback

Transfer quarterback Aaron Philo is the outside favorite to win the job, but returning redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr. could give him a run for his money. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Let's start with the obvious.

Aaron Philo's transfer to Florida was obvious considering his history with offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, but maybe not as obvious is the fact that the Gators are holding an open quarterback competition.

2025 backup Tramell Jones Jr. is the main competitor, but reserve Aidan Warner and true freshman Will Griffin will both have an opportunity to win the job. Ultimately, though, it will be a Philo vs. Jones Jr. battle.

Jones Jr. has the familiarity and leadership with the returning players. Philo has experience in Faulkner's system and more experience on the field. Nonetheless, it is anyone's battle in the coaches' eyes, even if social media has already decided on one.

2. Entire Offensive Line

Knijeah Harris is one of two starters on the offensive line returning from last year's team. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Florida lost three senior starters on its offensive line, returning just Knijeah Harris (left guard) and Caden Jones (right tackle) as starters as well as Bryce Lovett, who has starting experience but was ultimately replaced by Jones.

So, Phil Trautwein has his pick of the litter in building his first offensive line. Penn State transfers TJ Shanahan Jr. and Eagan Boyer have experience in his system, with Shanahan Jr. looking like a play-now guard and Boyer a suitor at left tackle, while Georgia Tech transfer Harrison Moore seems likely to be the starting center. Transfer Emeka Ugorji also has starting experience.

Nonetheless, multi-year reserves Fletcher Westphal (tackle) and Jason Zandamela-Popa (center) and contributor Roderick Kearney (center, guard), who has gotten significant praise this offseason, will each have a chance to make jumps on the non-existent depth chart.

3. Backup Running Back

Evan Pryor is one of two transfers Florida added to the running back room behind Jadan Baugh. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Jadan Baugh's return gives the Gators one of the best starting running backs in the country, but Ja'Kobi Jackson's, Treyaun Webb's and KD Daniels' transfers left a void in depth, and it didn't help that Florida failed to sign a high school running back in the class.

As a result, Florida went portal hunting and quietly landed two of the better running back transfers in Cincinnati's Evan Pryor and ECU's London Montgomery. Pryor, who rushed for 522 yards and three scores, seems like the outside favorite, while Montgomery, who had 742 yards and seven scores, is a valuable option.

There's also redshirt freshmen Duke Clark, who was briefly Baugh's backup before a season-ending injury, and Byron Louis. Both were four-stars in their classes and could crack the rotation considering their talent.

4. Safety

Cam Dooley was one of the top safeties in the portal when he transferred to Florida. | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Senior Bryce Thornton is back and has all but locked up one safety spot, but Jordan Castell's transfer leaves a void opposite him. Kentucky transfer Cam Dooley will be the outside favorite to win the job, considering his familiarity with defensive coordinator Brad White and safeties coach Chris Collins as well as his productivity with the Wildcats.

That being said Baylor's DJ Coleman was one of Florida's first portal efforts in this cycle, and the Gators retained second-years and former blue-chip recruits Lagonza Hayward and Drake Stubbs at the position. There's also wildcard Alfonzo Allen Jr., a walk-on who emerged midway through the season as a consistent tackler.

Depth is there, but who will start remains to be seen.

5. Tight End

Lacota Dippre was a member of James Madison's CFP team. | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Outside of the offensive line and receiver, tight end arguably had the biggest turnover with Hayden Hansen and Tony Livingston transferring, leaving just Amir Jackson as the lone player with significant playing time at the position. Florida's efforts to retain him from the portal suggest it is his position to lose, but the Gators also added three transfers at the position to rebuild the room (James Madison's Lacota Dippre, Georgia Tech's Luke Harpring and New Haven's Evan Chieca), leaving nothing guaranteed.

There's also redshirt freshman Micah Jones and true freshman Heze Kent, although it seems Kent will need a redshirt season as Florida looks to cut weight.

Honorable Mention: Corner

Ben Hanks III (12) and J'Vari Flowers (6) saw extensive time on the field at the end of the season. | Kyle Lander / Florida Gators on SI

This position battle really is not a battle as Florida returns the bulk of its rotation from last season in veterans Dijon Johnson and Cormani McClain and rising second-years J'Vari Flowers and Ben Hanks III. The only question is what the rotation will exactly look like, and whether any of the newcomers or redshirt freshman Onis Konanbanny crack the rotation.

Johnson is coming off a torn ACL, leaving a void on the field for the time being. However, the Gators still have three play-now corners in McClain, Flowers and Hanks III. Can Konanbanny, transfer Jordy Lowery or true freshmen CJ Bronaugh and CJ Hester make a case for snaps?