Entering the offseason, Florida’s wide receiver room was one of the team’s biggest areas in need of improvement. Now it’s among the most competitive positions on the team.

Florida lost its top two receivers from 2024, seniors Elijhah Badger and Chimere Dike, to the draft. The pair combined for over half of the Florida’s receiving yards last season. Sophomores Eugene Wilson III and Aidan Mizell, two anticipated contributors in 2025, each had fewer than 20 receptions and 300 yards. Billy Napier needed to reload for 2025, and he did.

New arrivals

“We’ve got four really talented new receivers,” Napier said on Thursday. Those four new receivers will all be participating in spring practices over the next six weeks. The two most exciting newcomers are Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson, two freshmen who were both top 10 receivers in the 2025 recruiting class. Wilson boasts a large frame and solid hands. He also ran tack in high school with a personal-best of 11.00 in the 100-meter dash. Brown III also ran track in high school and qualified for state championships in the triple jump twice. Brown’s father, Vernell Brown, was a defensive back at Florida in the early 2000s.

Florida also brings in J. Michael Sturdivant, a redshirt senior transfer from UCLA. Sturdivant played at Cal in 2021 and 2022 before transferring to UCLA. He was the Bruins’ second leading receiver in 2023 with 597 yards and an average of 16.6 yards per reception. Sturdivant contributed less in 2024 but still had 22 receptions for 315 yards. Four-star Naeshaun Montgomery, the 13th ranked wide receiver in the 2025 class, rounds out the group of incoming receivers.

“That group is faster, more explosive,” said Napier. “The skill level has been impressive so far.”

Returners

Wilson III is expected to be one of the stars of the 2025 team. He pulled in 61 receptions for 538 yards in his freshman season and was expected to be a major contributor in 2024. He sustained an injury, though, and played in only four games last season. He is still recovering from surgery, but he’ll certainly make some noise this season.

Redshirt senior Kahleil Jackson had 21 receptions for 251 yards in 2023 but got injured before the second game of last season. Napier said he’s hopeful that Jackson will be back to his previous form before the 2025 season starts. Redshirt freshman TJ Abrams and sophomore Tank Hawkins are also quick receivers who will be returning this season.

“It’s going to be a very competitive room,” said Napier.