Florida Gators Freshmen Participation Report, Injured Players Eligible for a Redshirt

Now four games into the season, Florida Gators on SI breaks down which freshmen are about to lose a year of eligibility, and which have games to spare.

Florida Gators freshman Vernell Brown III has made an immediate impact on both the offense and on special teams. | Kyle Lander / Florida Gators on SI

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The Florida Gators have reached its first of two bye weeks for the 2025 season, sitting at 1-3 after Saturday's 26-7 loss to Miami.

With the Gators four games into the season, many players on the roster are at risk of burning a year of eligibility should they appear in one more game during the regular season.

Florida Gators on SI has compiled a comprehensive list of Florida's freshmen and injured players their participation level so far in 2025.

The list below does not include walk-ons, players who have already exhausted a non-2020 redshirt or players in their final year of eligibility who do not have a redshirt available. Participation count is according to Pro Football Focus as well as the team's official roster. Snaps on special teams, even if a player hasn't played in their respective offensive or defensive position counts, as well.

Freshmen

Four Games Played

These players have played in every game this season in various capacities. An appearance in one more game would officially burn a year of eligibility.

• WR Vernell Brown III
• WR Muizz Tounkara
• LB Ty Jackson
• LB Myles Johnson
• DB J'Vari Flowers
• DB Lagonza Hayward
• EDGE Jayden Woods

Freshman edge rusher Jayden Woods has played in all four games this season for the Florida Gators. | Kyle Lander / Florida Gators on SI

Of the group, Vernell Brown III and Jayden Woods have had the largest roles on their respective sides of the ball with Brown III establishing himself as a starter and Woods emerging as a rotational piece with a growing role.

Brown III, who doubles as the team's primary kickoff and punt returner, leads the team with 18 catches for 219 yards.

"I think he's a great competitor. He's obviously skilled, but I think more importantly, he's got a certain maturity level and you could see (against LIU) it's not too big for him," head coach Billy Napier said. "He's comfortable in that setting, right? So he's a play-maker. He's been doing that very consistent, very dependable, know what you're going to get and he's an even better person, teammate. He's going to be a great leader and he's a guy that really, really cares about the University of Florida and I think that makes it special for him."

Meanwhile, Woods made his first career start on Saturday in place of the injured George Gumbs Jr. and LJ McCray, recording his first sack in the loss.

"What y'all see in the field, I see every day. He does a good job," Gumbs Jr. said of Woods last week. "Obviously, it's some things he can do better, but he's young, he's got a lot of room to grow and he's like a sponge."

Three Games Played

These players have one game left before burning a year of eligibility.

• DL Joseph Mbatchou
• DL Jeramiah McCloud

Florida Gators freshman defensive lineman Joseph Mbatchou is already finding himself in contention for a role in the defensive line rotation. | Kyle Lander / Florida Gators on SI

Joseph Mbatchou has had a significant role, carving out a spot on the defensive line rotation after injuries to Caleb Banks and Michai Boireau. With Brendan Bett also suffering an injury in the loss to Miami, his role could continue to grow, while Jeramiah McCloud could find a spot in the lineup with him.

Two Games Played

Any player in this category will have two games left before burning a year of eligibility.

• RB Duke Clark

Florida Gators freshman Duke Clark is one of two players battling to be the team's third running back in the rotation. | Kyle Lander / Florida Gators on SI

Duke Clark has been battling redshirt freshman KD Daniels to be the team's No. 3 running back behind Jadan Baugh and Ja'Kobi Jackson. He had five carries for 19 yards in the win over Long Island before recording one carry in the loss to LSU.

“Duke, we’re trying to grow Duke up and there’s only one way to get experience and that’s to put him out there," Napier said last week. "He stacked a good week or two together and I think at that point and time we felt good about getting him in the game.”

One Game Played

These players have three games left before burning a redshirt.

• QB Tramell Jones Jr.
• WR Naeshaun Montgomery
• EDGE Jalen Wiggins

Quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. is the first true freshman to throw for two touchdowns in his first appearance with the Gators since Treon Harris in 2014. | Kyle Lander / Florida Gators on SI

Tramell Jones Jr. is the standout as DJ Lagway's immediate backup quarterback, a spot he won over senior transfer Harrison Bailey and redshirt sophomore Aidan Warner in fall camp.

"I think it's been impressive to watch him. I think he's intelligent," Napier said on Sept. 1. "I think he's got some presence, some maturity. It's not too big for him. He's very coachable, and I think early he struggled with bodies, the big bodies in the pocket,  the OLs and DLs around him. And I think once he kind of got comfortable with keeping his eyes down the field and working the pocket, he has continued to impress us."

No Games Played

These players have yet to appear in a game this season, giving them all four games left before burning a redshirt.

• RB Byron Louis
• WR Dallas Wilson
• TE Micah Jones
• TE Cameron Kossmann
• OL TJ Dice Jr.
• OL Jahari Medlock
• OL Daniel Pierre-Louis
• DB Ben Hanks III
• DB Onis Konanbanny
• DB Drake Stubbs
• K Evan Noel
• P Hayden Craig

Florida Gators wide receiver Dallas Wilson has yet to make his debut. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Most of the freshmen in this group are non-injury redshirts for development purposes, but Dallas Wilson headlines the group for the opposite reason.

The former five-star has missed the first four games of the season with a lower body injury suffered in fall camp. At the time of his injury, he was pushing for a starting position. Napier did give a positive note last week saying Wilson is anticipated to return to practice during the bye week.

"He’s a problem. He’s exceptional," Napier said heading into the season opener. "He'll be a major factor this year. So we're excited about Dallas for sure.”

Non-Freshman Injured Players to Keep Note of

Florida has dealt with numerous injurys through the first portion of the season, a small group of whom are technically eligible for a redshirt should they miss the season.

Edge rusher LJ McCray, who has only appeared in one game this season, is set to miss significant time after undergoing foot surgery after the loss to USF, making him the most notable of Florida's injured players who could redshirt.

Should McCray be able to return this season, he has three games to spare before burning a year of eligibility.

Meanwhile, corner Dijon Johnson reportedly underwent surgery on Monday for a non-ACL knee injury after exiting the loss to Miami and could miss the rest of the season. Playing in all four games and not redshirting in his previous two seasons, Johnson would keep a year of eligibility should he be out for the rest of the year.

Florida Gators defensive back Dijon Johnson suffered a knee injury in the loss at Miami. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Sophomore defensive lineman Michai Boireau, who missed the last two games due to injury, is also eligible for a redshirt should he miss all but two games the rest of the season.

Senior defensive linemen Caleb Banks (foot), sophomore running back Treyaun Webb (hamstring), sophomore defensive back Aaron Gates (upper body), freshman offensive lineman Fletcher Westphal (upper body) and sophomore defensive lineman Brendan Bett (lower body), despite not playing in more than four games this year, are not eligible for a traditional redshirt season after already redshirtting in the past.

However, should any of the three miss significant time, a possible medical waiver from the NCAA could be in play, as seen in the past with former UF safety Asa Turner.