Jadan Baugh has done more than give Florida a reliable answer in the backfield. He’s forced his way into the national draft conversation.
After Jon Sumrall arrived in Gainesville, keeping Baugh in orange and blue was one of the first priorities. That call looks better by the week. Baugh ripped off 160 yards and three touchdowns in Florida’s season-opening win over FAU, and Sumrall didn’t miss the chance to praise the back afterward.
"I tell Buster (OC Buster Faulkner) all the time, '(If) you don't know what to do, you just hand it to 13. That'll work usually.'
He's phenomenal. He's a great kid.
Every bit as good as I thought he'd be. I told him tonight before the game, I said, 'Hey, I'm glad you're still here.
Thanks for staying.'"
Since then, the 6-foot-1, 225-pound Baugh has kept rolling. Through six games, he has piled up 673 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, while adding four receptions for 33 yards and another score.
His biggest burst came when SEC play opened, as he combined for 304 yards and six touchdowns against Auburn and No. 4 Ole Miss.
That production has not gone unnoticed. Mel Kiper slotted Baugh at No. 14 overall on his NFL Draft Big Board, making him the top running back on the list and the only back among Kiper’s top 25.
"He has it all, including really good field vision, breakaway speed and shiftiness," Kiper wrote on ESPN. "Baugh can cut back to make defenders miss, and he has the power to break tackles. He's a handful to bring down, and he almost never puts the football on the ground -- he hasn't fumbled since 2024, and that was his only career fumble across 1,000-plus offensive snaps."
The rise makes sense when you look at the position’s value equation. NIL has changed the college landscape, and running backs may be the group that has benefited most.
In the NFL, the position is treated as non-premium, but in college the appreciation - and the money - can be very different. A player like Kaelon Black, the third running back selected in the NFL Draft, is making roughly $1.6 million per year with the 49ers, a number that is similar to what a top college back can command.
Still, a first-round selection changes everything. Baugh’s No. 14 placement on Kiper’s board lines up with the kind of draft slot that can create major guaranteed money.
The Ravens took offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane at No. 14 in April, and he signed a four-year, $24.2 million fully guaranteed rookie deal. Go even higher, and the jump gets even steeper: Jeremiyah Love went No. 3 overall to the Arizona Cardinals and landed a four-year, $53.0 million fully guaranteed contract.
For Florida, the ideal outcome is simple. If Baugh plays his way into the top 15 by April, the Gators will be thrilled. For now, though, the focus is on winning, and another big outing against the Texas Longhorns would help everyone in Gainesville.
In Other News...
Todd Golden Calls Out NCAA Fight Hanging Over Floridas Season
Denzel Aberdeens path back into the picture has brought an old NCAA eligibility fight back to the surface, and Florida coach Todd Golden did not hide his frustration with how the issue was handled. Aberdeen was cleared to play in the 2026-27 season after the NCAAs five-year eligibility rule initially left out athletes from the high school class of 2022, even though his college route followed the usual timeline.
Golden has publicly criticized the ruling and the legal battles that followed, saying the class of 2022 was treated inconsistently. The decision now applies to the class of 2023 and beyond, which makes Aberdeen eligible under the newer interpretation, but it also leaves Florida and other programs watching how much more fallout the NCAAs rule change may still create. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Has One Real Chance To Make Texas Sweat
Florida heads into its matchup with Texas knowing the margin for error is slim, and the clearest place to find an edge may be the part of the game that too often gets overlooked. Texas remains the favorite thanks to its defense and overall talent, even if the Longhorns have had some recent struggles, while Florida is still trying to smooth out issues on offense and defense. In a game like this, the Gators need every hidden yard they can find, and special teams is the one area that can swing the tone early.
Jon Sumralls arrival has raised expectations for Florida on special teams, and that matters because Texas has not been spotless there either. If Florida can turn punts, kick returns, and field position into something closer to a matchup advantage, it gives the Gators a real way to make the Longhorns uncomfortable. The bigger challenge is obvious enough, but this is the one phase where Florida can hope to keep the game from looking like a talent mismatch. [Read more 🡒]
Jadan Baugh Is Forcing A Bigger Draft Debate In Gainesville
Jadan Baugh has become one of the most important pieces in Floridas attack under Jon Sumrall, and his rise has started to carry real NFL weight. Through six games, the running back has piled up 673 yards and seven touchdowns, production that has helped fuel the Gators while also putting his name in the national draft conversation. Mel Kipers latest board reflects that momentum, with Baugh checking in at No. 14 overall and as the top running back available.
For Florida, the question is no longer just how much Baugh can do on Saturdays, but how that production translates when evaluators start weighing his physical traits and long-term value. His profile also lands in the middle of a changing college football economy, where NIL money can alter the calculus for talented running backs deciding whether to stay put or move on early. That makes Baugh more than a breakout story in Gainesville. It makes him a case study for what the position is worth now, and what comes next. [Read more 🡒]