No college football coach around the nation had a busier end to 2025 and start to 2026 than Jon Sumrall.
The 43-year-old was announced as Florida’s 31st head football coach on Nov. 30. He quickly began rehauling the Gators’ coaching staff while securing highly touted commits in both the high school and transfer portal recruiting cycles.
At the same time, Sumrall served as Tulane’s head coach as it captured the American Conference Championship and made its first ever College Football Playoff appearance.
With plenty on his plate, Sumrall faced a crucial roadblock: the pressure to retain UF’s elite talent. He singled out the task as a priority during his introductory press conference.
"Retention in these days of the college football world is the most important thing to build a team,” Sumrall said Dec. 1. “We need those guys to stay, and that's the first recruiting effort I have."
Despite interest from programs all over the nation, five of Florida’s most important players — Jadan Baugh, Vernell Brown III, Dallas Wilson, Jayden Woods and Myles Graham — all re-signed with Name, Image and Likeness Collective Florida Victorious for the 2026 season, marking landmark victories for the future of Gators football in the Sumrall era.
All five players cited their positive impression of Sumrall as a leader and a strategist as a key reason for staying, as well as their desire to help turn around a Gator program that has struggled over the past half-decade.
1. Jadan Baugh
All five players — two rising juniors and three rising sophomores — were standouts in 2025 despite Florida’s lackluster 4-8 campaign. No one shined brighter than Baugh, as he became the first Gator back to hit the 1,000-yard rushing mark since 2015.
After ending his season on a high note with a staggering 38-carry, 266-yard, two-touchdown performance against Florida State Nov. 29, the Atlanta native was non-committal on his future in the Orange and Blue.
“I ain't too much thought about it,” Baugh said. “I'm never focused on future things. I'm always focused on the moment. Life is short. Focusing on the moment, just enjoying everything that's in front of me, I feel like that's the way to go.”
Even more doubt regarding Baugh’s status developed as Texas hired former Florida running backs coach Jabbar Juluke, someone Baugh called “one of the best running backs coaches in America” in that same press conference. By the time the portal opened Jan. 2, there was no update on Baugh’s status.
However, that changed just a few days later. Baugh officially re-signed with the Gators and Florida Victorious on Jan. 6, days after meeting with Sumrall and new UF running backs coach Chris Foster.
“When I first met Coach Sumrall, it was during his first team meeting,” Baugh told Florida Victorious. “He meant business, but you could also tell he genuinely cared about the team and about making the right decisions for everyone. That really stood out to me.”
2. Vernell Brown III
While Florida’s offense leaned on Baugh for much of the season, Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson both showed glimpses of superstardom in their true freshman campaigns, despite being limited to 14 combined games.
A third-generation Gator, Brown led the team in catches (40) and receiving yards (512). He also served as UF’s primary return specialist and finished the year with 773 all-purpose yards, good for fifth among true freshmen. The Freshman All-SEC recipient announced his return to the program Dec. 26.
“It’s everything. I wore the jersey growing up, always aspiring to play for the Florida Gators, so to be able to accomplish that dream and become a contributor in my first year, it was amazing,” Brown said to Florida Victorious. “Obviously, I was able to accomplish my goal of Freshman All-SEC, but there’s still a lot left on the table, and I’m coming for it all next year.”
3. Dallas Wilson
Meanwhile, Wilson broke onto the scene in his debut, grabbing six passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns in UF’s upset win over Texas Oct. 4. He ultimately tied for the team lead in receiving touchdowns (three) despite only playing four games.
Wilson later announced his intention to remain at Florida Dec. 30, citing Sumrall’s “electric” nature as a key component to his decision to remain in Gainesville.
“I’ll say this: It’s a revenge season,” Wilson told Florida Victorious. “I’m coming back for everything. Everybody that doubted us or talked about us … we’re coming back. Just know that.”
4. Jayden Woods
While the returns of Florida’s true freshman receivers came without many speed bumps, the same cannot be said about UF’s dynamic edge rusher.
After emerging as one of the top freshman edge rushers in the nation and recording a joint team-high 3.5 sacks, Woods originally opted to enter the transfer portal Dec. 31.
The Shawnee, Kansas, native went on a visit to Texas, but he remained in constant contact with Sumrall and his staff, including new defensive coordinator Brad White and outside linebackers coach Bam Hardmon.
After virtual and in-person meetings between the two sides, an agreement was reached, and the Freshman All-SEC selection announced his intention to withdraw from the portal and return to the program Jan. 7.
“I wanted to make an informed decision,” Woods said to Florida Victorious. “I had lost my head coach, defensive coordinator and position coach, so I needed to be sure that if I came back to Florida — which I always wanted to do — it was the best decision for me and my family.”
5. Myles Graham
The final member of the “Fab Five” was never in doubt. Gainesville native, Buchholz High School alum and second-generation Gator Myles Graham was the first to announce his re-signing during Sumrall’s tenure, doing so Dec. 16.
“Being a legacy here is everything,” Graham said before the 2025 season. “I get to put on the 5, the same number my dad wore at Florida. I have Graham on my back.”
Graham shined in the heart of Florida’s defense in 2025, racking up 76 total tackles, two sacks and four pass deflections. He will remain a centerpiece of the Gator front seven under White, whose defensive scheme Graham said he “loves.”
But a crucial factor in Graham’s decision, like the rest of the core group, was their faith in Sumrall as the next great Gator coach.
“We loved him, man. He was intense. He told us straight up that he wasn't going to back down," Graham told Florida Victorious. "He was ready for the challenge, and we loved him. I feel like a lot of guys bought into that."
Contact Max Bernstein at mbernstein@alligator.org. Follow him on X @maxbernstein23.
Max is a junior sports journalism student in his seventh semester at The Alligator. He serves as The Alligator's assistant sports editor and football beat coordinator. He previously served as The Alligator's sports editor and as a reporter for football, women's tennis, volleyball, lacrosse and sports enterprise. He also has made multiple appearances on the Paul Finebaum Show. Max wants to shoutout his cats, Scooter and Zoe, and niche former Florida Panthers players (shoutout Maxim Mamin).
