Which Former Gator Could Win a Super Bowl Ring?

While neither Seattle nor New England boast having a former member of the Florida Gators on its active roster, one UF alum could still win a ring. Linebacker Ja'Markis Weston is in his rookie season in the NFL and is currently on the Seahawks practice squad, making him the Gators' lone representative in this year's Super Bowl.

An undrafted free agent, Weston joined Seattle's practice squad on Dec. 2 after a stint with the New York Jets, which signed him after the draft. In four appearances with the Jets, Weston recorded two tackles before being waved on Nov. 22.

While Weston has yet to make an impact in the NFL, the fact that he is on a roster is not the least bit surprising considering his journey with the Gators. Throughout his final season at Florida, then-head coach Billy Napier consistently praised Weston for his special teams prowess, saying he had a "future as a core special teams player."

In his six seasons with the Gators, Weston was constantly changing positions, moving from receiver to safety to linebacker and, finally, to edge rusher. However, his impact on special teams remained constant as a play-maker on the punt team. With verifiable speed (4.4-second 40-yard dash) and strength (525-pound bench, 605-pound squat), Weston was one of the Gators' best gunners in recent memory, leading to many believing he could have a long career in the league, similar to former core special teams skill players such as Matthew Slater, Jeremy Reaves and Josh Cribbs.

"He's always been a very good special teams player. That's his ticket," Napier said after Weston's pro day nearly a year ago.

While he ultimately went undrafted, New York took a chance on Weston, and Weston made an impact in the preseason with a fumble recovery off a muffed punt against Pittsburgh.

Former Florida Gator Ja'Markis Weston recovers the muffed punt for the New York Jets pic.twitter.com/JnxgrDqDU9
— Tyler Carmona (@TylerCarmona) August 10, 2025

While Weston ultimately will not take the field on Sunday against the Patriots, Weston could become the 28th former Gator to win a Super Bowl.

Last season, defensive back CJ Gardner-Johnson and offensive lineman Fred Johnson each won their first rings, marking the fourth consecutive year at least two Gators won a Super Bowl. Standout performances by former Gators in a Super Bowl include Percy Harvin returning a kickoff for a touchdown with the Seahawks in 2014, Jack Youngblood playing on a broke fibula with the Rams in 1980 and Kadarius Toney setting a Super Bowl record with a 65-yard punt return and adding a touchdown catch in the Chiefs' win in 2023.

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