Gators C Harrison Moore Named to Rimington Trophy Watch List

Harrison Moore enters his first season with the Gators after two years at Georgia Tech.

Harrison Moore enters his first season with the Gators after two years at Georgia Tech. | Courtesy of UAA Communications

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Florida Gators center Harrison Moore on Thursday was named to the 2026 Rimington Trophy preseason watch list, the organization announced. The trophy is given annually to the nation's top center.

Moore (6-4, 293 pounds) enters his first season at Florida after two seasons at Georgia Tech. Last season, he started in eight games at center for the Yellow Jackets. Helping Georgia Tech limit sacks given up to just nine total, he was one of 10 semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award last season. The Rimington Trophy Committee worked with Pro Football Focus and its play-by-play grading system as well as nominations from schools to create its preseason watch list.

Harrison Moore → Rimington Watch List 🐊 @harrisonmoore | #GoGators pic.twitter.com/uv3u2xBUIN

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) August 6, 2026

While he has yet to play a game for the Gators, Moore enters 2026 as the likely starting center after being in a competition with returning backup Jason Zandamela. Head coach Jon Sumrall raved about Moore at SEC Media Day last month, saying that Moore and fellow transfer TJ Shanahan Jr. were two offensive linemen who were setting the tone during offseason workouts.

Offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, who coached Moore at Georgia Tech, praised his toughness and his growth as a vocal leader.

"It was fortunate that it worked out for the Gators," Faulkner said Tuesday of Moore's transfer. "Harrison Moore is one of the toughest guys I've, you know, ever had a chance to coach. You know, last two years, he played a lot for us as a freshman. I think he's now getting comfortable in his own skin. He's, you know, when we first signed him, he was 265 pounds, so he's still putting on weight. He's much stronger than he was. He's starting to become a leader, a lot more vocal, and that's very important for what we ask the center to do in this offense."

Should Moore ultimately be named the starter, he will have big shoes to fill in replacing Jake Slaughter, who was a First-Team All-American in 2024 and a Rimington Trophy finalist in 2025. Slaughter was taken in the Second Round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers this offseason.

While Moore is not Slaughter, he has garnered comparisons to his predecessor by those who were with the program last season, according to Faulkner.

"From the things that I've been told, are very similar," he said. "Which is, again, you ask a lot of guys around this building, that's a high compliment. Jake Slaughter was very well thought of amongst his teammates, and you know, Harrison's only been here seven months, and he's still working to gain that kind of respect, and he'll do that."

Should Moore ultimately win the Rimington Trophy, he would be the second Gator to do so, joining Maurkice Pouncey in 2009.

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