Florida's rushing depth is not only one of its greatest strengths, but it's also among the best groups of running backs in college football.
USA TODAY's Craig Meyer placed the Gators' running back room at No. 7 on his list of the top 10 entering the 2026 season. Led by junior Jadan Baugh, one of the premier rushers in the SEC, Florida's RB room
also features a pair of veterans acquired through the transfer portal.Evan Pryor (Cincinnati) and London Montgomery (East Carolina) are both coming off productive seasons with their respective former programs, giving Florida the ability to rotate in the backfield and avoid overloading Baugh with carries a year before he's expected to make the jump to the NFL.
Meyer called Baugh "one of the top returning
backs in the country" after he became the most recent addition to Florida's 1,000-yard club. His standout game came against Florida State in the 2025 season finale, when Baugh rushed for a career-high 266 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries. That's the second-most yards in a game in school history, behind only Emmitt Smith's 316-yard day more than 35 years ago.
Just because Baugh can run 40 times a game doesn't mean he should. First-year Florida coach Jon Sumrall famously asked, "How can I get No. 13 the ball more?" when he took the job, but the additions of Montgomery and Pryor mean he doesn't have to.
Pryor rushed for 522 yards while averaging 6.9 yards per carry last season, and Montgomery arrives from ECU after 742 yards and seven touchdowns. Sophomores Duke Clark and Byron Louis provide additional depth in case of injuries.
With a trio of capable rushers at its disposal, Florida checks in right behind No. 6 Miami and ahead of No. 8 Ole Miss, both of which made the College Football Playoff in 2025. Missouri and Texas sit at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, on USA TODAY's list, but Florida could jump ahead of them by season's end. Even if that doesn't happen, it boasts the third-best running back room in the SEC.
Sumrall's goal is to get Florida back into the national conversation immediately. He doesn't want to win eventually. He wants to win now. Having one of the nation's strongest backfields is an easy recipe to make that happen.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida's running back room ranks among nation's 10 best
