The NFL preseason has a way of bringing old college names back into focus, and this week it put three former Florida Gators on the field for their first pro snaps.
All three had finished their college careers elsewhere, but their paths still trace back to Gainesville: Caleb Douglas at Texas Tech, Jack Pyburn at LSU, and Chris McClellan at Missouri. Each turned that transfer detour into an NFL opportunity, and each made his preseason debut over the past couple of days.
Douglas was the flashiest of the trio. After leaving Florida and becoming a key part of Texas Tech’s offense, he landed with the Miami Dolphins as a third-round pick.
On Friday night, he wasted no time showing why he drew attention, pulling in a 28-yard catch that had the NFL world buzzing. It was his only reception of the night, but it was the kind of grab that gets replayed immediately.
His Florida exit had its own odd twist. Douglas had been a player the Gators had highlighted before, but Billy Napier never really made him a featured part of the passing game. The final play of his Florida career was a 34-yard catch, and it ended with him hurting his leg and missing the rest of the season.
Pyburn’s route out of Gainesville was far less smooth. The circumstances around his transfer left him with few supporters among Florida fans, with reports of financial and playing-time demands drawing plenty of skepticism for a player of his profile. He was always viewed as a high-motor defender and a sturdier run stopper than he got credit for, though his production at Florida never fully popped - he finished with just one career sack in three years.
At LSU, he put together a stronger final college season, posting 52 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks in 2025. That effort helped get him to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he signed as an undrafted free agent and made a loud first impression. In his preseason debut, Pyburn logged three total tackles and two sacks.
McClellan’s path was a little different again. He was one of the more interesting players from the Billy Napier era because he became part of the conversation about whether Napier was actually holding players accountable, especially in contrast to the Dan Mullen years.
He was solid over two seasons in Gainesville, then transferred to Missouri before the 2024 season and kept building from there. By 2025, he had reached six sacks for the Tigers.
The Green Bay Packers took him in the third round, and he saw 21 snaps in their preseason opener. Pro Football Focus gave him a 71.9 grade for the game, a solid start as he begins his NFL run.
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