It’s 2026 NFL Draft week, which will result in the first step of a handful of former Florida football players realizing their pro aspirations.
The NFL Draft starts Thursday night in Pittsburgh, Pa. (8 p.m., ESPN, NFL Network) and while no UF players are projected to go in the first round of the NFL Draft, a handful could get selected in the later rounds on Friday and Saturday.
At least one Florida Gators player has been picked in every NFL Draft since 1953. Last year, seven UF players were selected, will all going between rounds four and seven. The last Florida player to go in the first round of the NFL Draft was wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who went 30th overall to the San Fransisco 49ers in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Here’s a look at where Florida players are projected to be selected based on Ayrton Ostly’s latest USA Today mock 2026 NFL Draft.
DT Caleb Banks, Round 2, 41st overall, New England Patriots
Ostly has the Patriots making a draft day trade to select the 6-foot-6, 327-pound Banks, who appeared in just three games for Florida in 2025 due to a broken foot.
Banks had a breakout 2024 season for UF that included 7 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He showed that high motor as an interior defensive lineman again at the Senior Bowl last February before re-breaking his foot at the NFL Combine a month later.
Those injuries raise durability concerns, though when fully healthy, Banks projects as an impact defensive lineman.
OT Austin Barber, Round 3, 100th overall, Jacksonville Jaguars
A three-year starter at left tackle for UF, Ostly projects the 6-7, 318-pound Barber to stay in his native Jacksonville and bolster the depth of the offensive line for the Jaguars.
Barber is a physical run blocker who played through injuries but will need to continue to hone his lateral movement to pass protect consistently at the NFL level.
CB Devin Moore, Round 4, 101st overall, Tennessee Titans
Moore is projected to go as the first pick of the fourth round to the Tennessee Titans, joining former UF teammate and wide receiver Chimere Dike, who was taken in the fourth round by the Titans last season.
The 6-3, 198-pound Moore projects as a rangy corner capable of matching up with bigger NFL receivers. He recorded three interceptions during his UF career.
C Jake Slaughter, Round 4, 121st overall, Chicago Bears
Following a draft day trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bears solidify their offensive line with the addition of Slaughter, a two-time All-American who made 33 career starts at UF.
The 6-foot-5, 303-pound Slaughter was listed in ESPN.com draft analyst Mel Kiper’s favorite prospects by position.
DE George Gumbs Jr., Round 4, 139th overall, San Francisco 49ers
A transfer from Northern Illinois, the 6-4, 245-pound Gumbs recorded 7.5 sacks in two seasons at UF. Gumbs ran a 4.66 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and projects as a speed rusher off the edge at the NFL level.
DE Tyreak Sapp, Round 5, 143rd overall, Arizona Cardinals
The 6-foot-2, 273-pound Sapp recorded 21.5 career tackles for loss and 10 career sacks in four seasons at UF. Sapp would provide depth and another potential pass rusher on Arizona’s defensive front.
WR J Michael Sturdivant, Round 7, 255th overall, Green Bay Packers
A transfer from UCLA, Sturdivant finished his lone season with UF with 27 catches for 403 yards and 3 TDs. A bigger target at 6-3 and 207 pounds, Sturdivant ran a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in Indiapapolis.
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Where Florida football players could get selected
Reporting by Kevin Brockway, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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