Florida’s offseason reset has already started to change the conversation around Jadan Baugh.
The Gators’ star running back is heading into the 2026 season with another big year in front of him, and that momentum has now carried him into a notable 2027 NFL Draft prediction. Bleacher Report projects the New England Patriots to take Baugh with the 23rd overall pick.
That forecast comes as Florida tries to move forward under new head coach Jon Sumrall, who replaced Billy Napier after the Gators finished 4-8 in 2025. Sumrall brings a strong résumé from his time at Troy and Tulane, where he went 23-4 in two seasons at Troy and 20-8 in two years at Tulane, including a College Football Playoff appearance.
Florida still may not be ready to jump into contender status immediately, but the pieces around Baugh are expected to be better in 2026. The program has added talent and kept its top offensive weapon in place, which matters because Baugh has already shown he can carry a heavy load.
His freshman season in 2024 gave a glimpse of what was coming. Baugh ran for 673 yards and seven touchdowns on 133 carries, while also catching four passes for 33 yards and a touchdown.
Then he took off in 2025. Baugh finished with 1,170 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, and he added 33 receptions for 210 yards and two more scores. In a new offense, he could be even more central to what Florida does on offense.
If that production carries over into 2026, his draft stock should keep climbing. For now, the early projection has him landing in the first round and giving Florida another high-end NFL prospect to track.
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Kent has responded by trimming weight and continuing to sharpen the details that matter most for a tight end, from movement to overall skill development. For Florida, the longer view is what matters here: a young player trying to carve out his place in the program while pushing back against the label others keep trying to put on him. [Read more 🡒]
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Jon Sumrall is expected to bring some clarity soon, and the timing matters with roughly a week left before a starter has to be chosen. Jones and Aaron Philo have drawn different evaluations throughout camp, leaving the final call still cloudy even after another scrimmage has come and gone. [Read more 🡒]