Following a lackluster 2025 season for Florida football, one in which a leadership change marked the beginning of a new era and the Gators fell to 4-8, a number of top athletes have announced their plans to enter the transfer portal.
As Florida cleans the house and newly hired head coach Jon Sumrall continues to bring in a slew of new coaches, players have been forced to make a decision: Stick with an evolving program that took a chance on you, or take a chance and test the turbulent waters of Name, Image and Likeness in today’s college transfer portal.
Though many athletes have already braved the leap into the unknown, seeking better pay or a better fit within a program, freshman wide receiver Dallas Wilson joins a handful of valuable players that have re-signed with Florida for the 2026 season.
He announced his decision to re-sign Dec. 31 after Florida sought to retain his services following the 2025 season.
A highly-touted five-star recruit out of Tampa Bay Technical High School, the freshman was previously committed to Oregon, before flipping his commitment to Florida in December of 2024.
After a foot injury suffered during fall camp sidelined Wilson, he made his anticipated collegiate debut against Texas Oct. 4, 2025. In that game, Wilson set a program record for yards (111), catches (6) and touchdowns (two) by a true freshman in their first career start. Despite suffering a season-ending right foot fracture against Georgia Nov. 1, Wilson hauled in 12 passes for 174 yards and three scores on the season.
In 2026, Wilson is expected to complement fellow freshman receiver Vernell Brown III, who led the Gators in receiving yards in 2025 and re-signed with Florida. UF has also received letters of intent from incoming four-star freshmen receivers Davian Gross, Justin Williams and Marquez Daniel.
Contact Curan Ahern at cahern@alligator.org. Follow him on X at @CuranAhern.
Curan is a third-year journalism-sports & media major who currently serves as the football beat reporter for The Alligator, now in his third semester with the paper. When not at his computer screen writing, Curan enjoys spending time outdoors, hanging with friends, family and pets, and watching the Patriots lose (no, he doesn't miss Brady).
