Forty-three former Florida players made initial NFL rosters after cutdown day. A mix of newcomers and veterans helps make up Florida's NFL footprint, providing evidence that the program remains a reliable pipeline to the pros despite a decade of coaching instability.
Several players are on injured reserve or another injury designation while remaining under contract with NFL teams, but the list shows the breadth of Florida's presence across the league. Former first-round picks, established starters, recent draft selections and undrafted free agents are all represented as NFL teams finalize their opening rosters for the 2026 season.
Offense
Florida's offensive contingent is headlined by former first-round picks Anthony Richardson and Kyle Pitts, along with
established linemen such as O'Cyrus Torrence and Jawaan Taylor. Ricky Pearsall leads a receiving group that also includes several younger players still establishing themselves in the league.
Quarterbacks
- Anthony Richardson — Indianapolis Colts
- Graham Mertz — Houston Texans
Running backs
- Malik Davis — Dallas Cowboys
Wide receivers
- Chimere Dike — Tennessee Titans
- Justin Shorter — Las Vegas Raiders
- J. Michael Sturdivant — Green Bay Packers
- Ricky Pearsall — San Francisco 49ers
- Demarcus Robinson — San Francisco 49ers
Tight ends
- Kyle Pitts Sr. — Atlanta Falcons
Offensive line
- David Sharpe — Baltimore Ravens
- Austin Barber — Cleveland Browns
- Trent Brown — Houston Texans
- Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson — Tennessee Titans
- O'Cyrus Torrence — Buffalo Bills
- Jake Slaughter — Los Angeles Chargers
- Jawaan Taylor — Atlanta Falcons
- Stone Forsythe — Carolina Panthers
- Fred Johnson — Philadelphia Eagles
- D.J. Humphries — Washington Commanders
Defense
The defensive side includes a similar mix of proven veterans and younger talent. Jonathan Greenard, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Alex Anzalone are among the more established names, while Gervon Dexter Sr., Caleb Banks, Shemar James and others represent a newer generation of former Gators building NFL careers.
Defensive tackles
- TJ Slaton Jr. — Cincinnati Bengals
- Caleb Banks — Minnesota Vikings
- Gervon Dexter Sr. — Atlanta Falcons
- Cam Jackson — Carolina Panthers
- Jonathan Bullard — Dallas Cowboys
- Zach Carter — Arizona Cardinals
EDGE rushers
- George Gumbs Jr. — Indianapolis Colts
- Brenton Cox Jr. — Green Bay Packers
- Jonathan Greenard — Philadelphia Eagles
- Dante Fowler Jr. — Seattle Seahawks
Linebackers
- Ventrell Miller — Jacksonville Jaguars
- Alex Anzalone — Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Shemar James — Dallas Cowboys
Defensive backs
- C.J. Gardner-Johnson — Buffalo Bills
- Jason Marshall Jr. — Miami Dolphins
- C.J. Henderson — Atlanta Falcons
- Devin Moore — Dallas Cowboys
Specialists
Florida’s specialist pipeline is unusually strong, with seven former Gators holding NFL roster spots. McPherson, Townsend and Piñeiro are proven veterans, while the younger specialists show that pipeline is still active.
- Evan McPherson — Cincinnati Bengals
- Tommy Townsend — Tennessee Titans
- Tommy Doman Jr. — Buffalo Bills
- Jeremy Crawshaw — Denver Broncos
- Trey Smack — Green Bay Packers
- Rocco Underwood — Philadelphia Eagles
- Eddy Piñeiro — San Francisco 49ers
Florida’s 43-player NFL presence gives fans plenty of former Gators to follow throughout the season.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida's NFL footprint includes 43 former players entering Week 1
