Slaughter, Sapp among PFF's top 50 college football players
While other young players on Florida's roster could blossom into top-50 talents, PFF is basing this list on "proven production and projection." DJ Lagway simply hasn't played enough compared to other top quarterbacks in the game, and both Slaughter and Sapp are proven veterans at their positions.
Youngsters like Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (No. 1) and Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams (No. 12) cut, but they were starters all of last year. Alabama and Texas boast the most players on the list with five apiece.
No. 11 C Jake Slaughter
Slaughter started all 13 games at center for Florida last season, anchoring the offensive line and working with four different quarterbacks throughout the year. An AP All-American First Teamer, Slaughter is among the best offensive linemen in the country and will command a high draft pick in the spring. Utah tackle Spencer Fano is the only lineman higher than Slaughter on this list.
"Slaughter was the only Power Four center to earn 80.0-plus PFF grades as a pass blocker and a run blocker in 2024," Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick of PFF wrote.
"Even more impressive is that he faced a murderer's row of defensive tackles, including Walter Nolen, Alfred Collins, Shemar Turner, Deone Walker, Omarr Norman-Lott and Joshua Farmer — all of whom were selected in the first four rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft. Slaughter's 85.8 PFF overall grade since 2023 trails only Jackson Powers-Johnson among Power Four centers. He moves very well at 6-foot-4 and 308 pounds, allowing him to dominate in a zone-blocking scheme."
No. 35 EDGE Tyreak Sapp
Sapp took a leadership role on the defensive line last year and put up career numbers in tackles (47), tackles for a loss (13) and sacks (7). His return was another big win for Billy Napier and the Florida Gators this offseason. With more weapons surrounding him, Sapp could be in for an even bigger senior year.
"Sapp enjoyed a major breakout in his fourth season with the Gators. His 90.4 PFF overall grade placed 10th among all edge defenders in college football and second among returning players. The former defensive tackle is at his best in the run game, where his 88.7 PFF run-defense grade ranked fourth among FBS edge defenders and his 13 tackles for loss or no gain tied for the fourth most in the Power Four. Sapp is a more than capable pass rusher, earning an 82.2 PFF grade in that regard. He plays with a natural pad level at 6-foot-2, with the strength to stack and shed blockers well."
Other PFF standouts from Florida
DJ Lagway's 67.0 offense grade might surprise some people, but he had his fair share of growing pains and dealt with injuries. Jadan Baugh is the more proven rookie on offense, with an 81.8 grade over 269 total snaps. Several of the young offensive linemen on the roster came up just short of the 80.0 mark, but many played fewer than 100 snaps.
On defense, linebackers Myles Graham and Jaden Robinson stand out. Graham had an 80.7 run defense grade over 183 total snaps, and Robinson earned an 80.9 tackling grade over 438 snaps. Both figure to play large roles in Florida's defense this season. Sharif Denson was excellent as a pass rusher (87.4) out of the STAR and safety positions, albeit over 30 snaps in that role.
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