With the college football season just around the corner, the Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team was announced Tuesday. Eight Florida players were included on the list.
Leading the way, senior offensive linemen Jake Slaughter and Austin Barber both received first-team honors.
It marked Slaughter’s seventh first-team nomination received during the offseason and second in the SEC. The senior center was also named to ESPN’s All-American First Team Aug. 11. Barber was featured on the SEC Media All-SEC first team July 18.
Senior defensive lineman Caleb Banks, kicker Trey Smack and long snapper Rocco Underwood were all second-team selections.
Banks, who currently is sidelined with an undisclosed lower leg injury, earned his third preseason All-SEC honors, while Smack and Underwood both received their second All-SEC honors.
The duo of sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway and wide receiver Eugene Wilson III, as well as senior edge rusher Tyreak Sapp, received third-team honors.
This marked Lagway’s first All-SEC honors of his career after his dynamic freshman campaign where he led all true freshmen with a 154.9 passer rating while leading the Gators to a 6-1 record over seven starts.
Despite dealing with a lower-body injury that took him out of training camp action, Lagway is nearing 100 percent health.
“He [DJ] took team reps today... he's hitting,” UF head coach Billy Napier said Monday. “He's feeling much better and moving around."
Florida kicks off its regular season against Long Island Aug. 30 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m.
Contact Max Bernstein at mbernstein@alligator.org. Follow him on X @maxbernstein23.
Max is the Summer 2025 sports editor. He is a third-year journalism sports & media major and in his fifth semester at The Alligator. He is a big South Florida sports fan and would die for Matthew Tkachuk.
