The seven Florida Gators selected in the 2025 NFL draft are set to make some serious money throughout their rookie contracts.
According to Spotrac, linebacker Shemar James is the only one to have officially signed their contract, but the values are out there for the public to see. Chimere Dike is the big winner, bringing in just under $5.3 million in total value and a signing bonus more than double the size of any of his teammates.
Everyone is making between $1 million and $1.4 million a year, which is life-changing money for playing a sport. Of course, it’s all about maximizing a player’s brand and profit, so whoever signs the next biggest contract will likely end up on top of the career chart for this Florida draft class. Is it crazy it might be a punter?
Dike might be the top earner right now, but he’ll have to prove he’s more than a band-aid WR3 to stay in the league long-term. Jeremy Crawshaw went two rounds later in the sixth, but he has a chance to start and might be the position room favorite. A couple of solid years anchoring the special teams unit could land him a decent contract, even if it’s a punter.
Then there are guys like Cam Jackson and Jason Marshall Jr., who were drafted by teams to fill positions of need. There’s playing time to win once OTAs begin, and these coaching staffs are all hoping they’ve found a gem. On the other side of that coin are guys like Graham Mertz, who will fight for a third-string spot and likely spend the next year on the practice roster. Trikweze Bridges doesn’t have the best outlook either after being snatched up by the Chargers. Los Angeles has defensive backs, and he’ll have to prove he’s anything but the guy who got drafted right before Mr. Irrelevant.
Projected rookie contract values for former Gators drafted in 2025
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Taking a look at Florida football draftees rookie contract numbers
Reporting by David Rosenberg, Gators Wire / Gators Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
