Florida has been one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 college football season so far, getting off to a 4-0 start and surging into the top 10 of the polls this week after a 52-28 win over No. 4 Ole Miss on Saturday.
The Gators look to keep the winning streak alive in coach Jon Sumrall's first season as they head to Columbia to face No. 25 Missouri in Week 5, and they could get a major offensive piece back in that game.
Star receiver Vernell Brown III exited Florida's win on Saturday with a knee injury and did not return. Sumrall seemed optimistic about Brown's prognosis after the game, and on Monday, Sumrall confirmed that he suffered "the lowest-grade strain you can get."
"Nothing serious," coach Jon Sumrall said Monday. "Relative to what you
could get, we got great news after the imaging and everything. The MRI revealed nothing that's long term. It's, right now, really going to be as much of a pain tolerance and a confidence with him being ready to go."
Sumrall added that Brown could play on Saturday against the Tigers.
"What does that mean timeline-wise? I don't know," Sumrall said. "A lot of that's just how he's feeling more than anything. But medically there's nothing that's going to hold him other than his own readiness. We got to see how he responds and how he feels ready to go."
Brown's return would be welcome news for a Gators team that boasts the No. 5 total offense in the nation and the No. 2 scoring offense.
The sophomore receiver and former five-star recruit has played a major role in that. Brown has 17 catches for 271 yards and two touchdowns so far this season, and he's one of the nation's best punt returners. He already has 173 return yards and two touchdowns, both coming in Week 2 against Campbell.
Brown isn't the only Florida wideout whose status is in question, as Bailey Stockton is dealing with back soreness after taking a hard hit against the Rebels. However, he did return to the game after briefly exiting.
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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Florida star receiver could play in Week 5 vs. Missouri
