Despite a tumultuous transfer portal for Florida, the Gators' wide receiver room is restocked.
Part of Florida’s core five returners from the 2025-26 campaign were two receivers, Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson.
While limited due to injury for much of last season, Wilson’s impact was resounding. The five-star freshman out of Tampa, Florida, set the program record for yards (111), catches (six) and touchdowns (two) by a true freshman in his first career start against Texas on Oct. 4. His debut immediately established him as a must-return player for Florida.
“He is a smart football player, he has a high football IQ,” passing game coordinator and inside wide receivers coach Trent McKnight said. “But the other thing is just the presence and energy that he lights up a room. Any time you’re around Dallas, he’s got that infectious personality where he will affect the group.”
Beside him, Brown is the other crucial retention by Jon Sumrall and his staff. Last season, he started six games and finished with three catches and 79 receiving yards in his first start — a program-high for a true freshman wide receiver.
On the season, he ranked No. 5 in the nation among true freshmen in all-purpose yards, catching a team-high 40 passes for 512 yards and adding another 261 returning yards.
“I know everybody got a chance to see a little bit of what he could do last year, so we’re just looking forward to building on what he’s already done and enhancing that,” outside wide receivers coach Marcus Davis said Wednesday.
As a returner, TJ Abrams will also be an important familiar face for the Gators.
“Obviously, there are some things that you have to clean up and polish, but he’s consistent every day,” Davis said. “You get the same TJ every day, and it’s been a joy to work with him so far.”
Abrams caught 13 passes for 201 yards in 10 games in 2025. He started one contest for Florida against Kentucky on Nov. 8.
Among Florida’s slew of new faces across the coaching staff is Davis. The Gators' outside wide receivers coach is fresh off three seasons at Auburn in a similar spot.
Davis served as the Tigers’ wide receivers coach following two stints in the same position at Georgia Southern in 2022 and Hawaii in 2021. His eight seasons of coaching experience brought him to Gainesville, overseeing a position he’s had immense success with.
The former high school dual-threat quarterback made the switch to wideout when he landed in Auburn. He started 15 contests and landed eight all-time in punt return average when sporting the Tiger threads.
Now, he’ll remain in the SEC and command a loaded Gators wide receiver room alongside McKnight.
“Every day counts,” Davis said. “You can’t take a play for granted. You can’t take a rep for granted because you never know when that detail is going to show up, you never know when that play is going to add up, and that could be the difference in winning and losing.”
Among Davis’ group stands top-rated transfer Eric Singleton Jr.
The 5-foot-10 route runner nabbed 58 receptions for 534 yards while under Davis with the Tigers. Singleton spent time with a familiar face during his underclassmen years.
Buster Faulkner, Florida’s newest offensive coordinator, held the same role at Georgia Tech when Singleton lined up for the Yellow Jackets. The senior had his most productive seasons under Faulkner, posting back-to-back 710-plus receiving yard seasons in 2023 and 2024.
Singleton declared for the 2026 NFL Draft following his junior campaign prior to withdrawing his name and entering the transfer portal. It took just one day for the wideout to commit to Florida as the No. 32 overall prospect in the portal.
“For him to come and trust us with his last year, it means a lot,” Davis said. “We’re going to put our best foot forward to continue to develop him, to get him where he wants to go.
A key addition to the wide receiver room was Bailey Stockton. A rising redshirt junior from Georgia Tech, Stockton brings experience to the young squad. Last season, he caught 21 passes for 233 yards.
Florida also added two key incoming recruits, Justin Williams and Davian Groce. Out of Buchholz High School, Williams was the No. 9 wide receiver in his class across the country and has experience playing alongside Brown.
The 187-pound wideout nabbed 1,023 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, while also adding 85 receptions for 1,473 yards and 13 scores through the air in 2024. His historic campaign earned him 2024 Sports Illustrated Florida High School Offensive Player of the Year Honors.
Out of Lone Star High School in Frisco, Texas, Groce was ranked the No. 8 receiver by 247Sports. Across four years with the program, he totaled 2,429 yards on 290 carries and added 166 receptions for 3,313 yards, per MaxPreps.
Together, the young duo looks to make a splash in the early stages of their collegiate careers.
As far as where all these receivers will stack up this season, nothing is set in stone. With the spring game being two months away and the regular season seven months later, there is movement to be made among the roster.
“I think it’s case by case,” McKnight said. “What we would prefer is for them to learn as many spots as they can because it’s twofold. It’s a little bit for the depth chart, making sure that we are getting the best guys out on the field, and then the other part of it is that they’re going to have to move around within the formations that we see.”
Together, the mix of new additions and key returners, both players and coaches, will contribute to the new-look product on the field.
“I definitely grew up a Gators fan,” Davis said. “When I was growing up, that's when Tim Tebow and all those guys were here. They won a national championship, so that’s the Florida that I know, and I’m just excited to be here and get it back to that place.”
Contact Riley Orovitz at rorovitz@alligator.org. Follow her on X @rileyorovitz.
Contact Ava DiCecca at adicecca@alligator.org. Follow her on X @avadicecca24.
Ava is a sophomore sports journalism student and the Spring 2026 sports editor. Previously for The Alligator, she covered volleyball and did sports enterprise. Ava enjoys watching and playing sports in her free time and has been a Boston sports fan all her life. (Brad Marchand is still everything.)
Riley is a sophomore sports journalism student in her second semester at The Alligator. She is the beat reporter for Gators Swim & Dive while also contributing to the Gators Football Beat. She previously served in the same role in her first semester with the newspaper. Riley is an avid South Florida sports fan and enjoys playing/following all sports in her free time.
