Please Read: Welcome to the new-look Inside the Gators
- Commitment Burn Barometer
- Mock Signing Class 5.0
- Early Entry Review: Woods’ name rang out
- Getting to Know: Daniel Pierre Louis
- Getting to Know: Onis Konanbanny
- Post-Spring/Transfer Portal Ranking of Florida position-by-position
- Getting to Know: Byron Louis
- First Five off the Bus
- 15 Pre-Spring Class of 2026 Out-of-State Names to Know
- 20 Pre-Spring Class of 2026 In-State Names to Know
- Impact Analysis: Where Florida Football Signees Come From
The summer is flying by, and the Florida Gators’ 2025 campaign is quickly approaching. As the players and coaches prepare for their August 30 kickoff against Long Island, Inside the Gators’ staff members took stock of the roster to break down our list of the ’25 most valuable players’ for the 2025 season.
It is based on who we believe are the 25 most valuable players. These are not necessarily the best players, but the most valuable in relation to the team having a successful 2025 season.
Christian Alvis, Lance Williams, and Mark Wheeler compiled their list of the 25 most valuable Florida players, combined them, assigned a point value (25 points for a #1 vote down to 1 point for a #25 vote), and here’s how the final tally worked out (ballots and points in parentheses).
Note: The ranking isn’t based on a straight points system (25 points for a #1 placement down to 1 point for a #25 placement). A consensus mattered more, so one person’s opinion didn’t carry more weight than the group as a whole. This way, a player who appears on all three ballots, but has fewer overall points, will be higher than a player who appears on two ballots with more points.
THE 25 MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS FOR 2025
No. 25-Tommy Doman (1-ballot | 15-points)
- Position: Punter
- Class: Senior (RS-TR)
- Size: 6-foot-4, 215-pounds
Alvis Analysis: I have never been much of a special-teams person in general. It just feels like the majority of punters are all going to give you the same thing on average, which is why Tommy Doman did not make my Top 25. (Dissenting Opinion: UR)
Lance’s Last Word: Punter Tommy Doman should be a good addition for the Gators, transferring from Michigan, where he earned 2024 All-Big Ten third team honors by the coaches. He’ll have big shoes to fill as Jeremy Crawshaw was drafted in the sixth round by the Denver Broncos. He wasn’t included on my list because punter isn’t the most important position, especially with a Florida team that hopes to have a high-powered offense in 2025. (Dissenting Opinion: UR)
On the Mark: Each year, when we start compiling these lists, I have to remind the voters to include special teams. Though they make up 1/3 of the equation of a team, they are mostly forgotten about and taken for granted unless they do something spectacularly good or bad. While Tommy Doman may be a step down from Jeremy Crawshaw, he has shown the ability to flip field position. I’ll admit, No. 11 may seem a bit high, but part of putting together each list should have been factoring in the dropoff from the player to his backup. Just who is the backup here? True freshman Hayden Craig? Redshirt freshman walk-on Nicholas Inglis? (Voted: No. 11)
No. 24-Aaron Gates (2-ballots | 9-points)
- Position: Defensive Back
- Class: Sophomore (RS)
- Size: 6-foot, 189-pounds
Alvis Analysis: To me personally, Aaron Gates is one of the most exciting young guys on the team. While he takes a lot of snaps in the secondary, he excels at playing at the line, where he had 4 TFL’s last season. The fact that he is this far down on the list shows how good the depth should be in the secondary.. (Voted: No. 24)
Lance’s Last Word: Aaron Gates is a dynamic tool for Billy Napier’s defense. His usage staggered in 2024, but when called upon, he came through, such as recording an interception in the loss to Georgia. (Voted: No. 19)
On the Mark: To be clear, if he were healthy, not only would I have Aaron Gates on my Top 25, but he would be fighting for a spot in the upper-half of the ranking. He has been a standout when he is 100% As it is, with his knee injury occurring in late November, and an injury of that nature expected to normally take 7-8 months to rehab, that would put his timeline for a return around September. How limited will he be to start the season? When will he be fully healthy? We also have to keep in mind that it is his second knee injury in three years. (Dissenting Opinion: UR)
No. 23-Cormani McClain (2-ballots | 16-points)
- Position: Cornerback
- Class: Sophomore (RS-TR)
- Size: 6-foot-1, 182-pounds
Alvis Analysis: This is probably the most up-in-the-air player of any on the list. Cormani McClain was the top recruit in the country at one point, but has had behavioral issues outside of football. But it seems like he is finally getting on the right track. If he can play up to his potential, he can be a very dangerous defender. (Voted: No. 16)
Lance’s Last Word: Former five-star cornerback Cormani McClain is an intriguing player entering the 2025 season. Once the consensus No. 1 overall defensive back from the 2023 recruiting cycle, McClain played just three games for Florida in 2024. His weight, or lack of weight, has been the problem for him. If he’s added size to pair with his talent, he could be a difference maker for the Gators’ defense. (Voted: No. 24)
On the Mark: Because he is a former five-star, and because he is seen as a bit of a reclaimation project, Cormani McClain is probably hyped a little more than his actual production would warrant. He played in but three of Florida’s 13 games last year. Yes, he made some splash plays, and the potential is obviously there, but I wouldn’t think that Florida’s season is overly dependent on how he performs. Also, though he has gained bulk and strength since arriving at UF, he is still a little undersized compared to where a Gators’ cornerback should be. (Dissenting Opinion: UR)
2 comments