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.
(Tie) No. 10-J. Michael Sturvidant (3-ballots | 44-points)
- Position: Receiver
- Class: Senior (RS-TR)
- Size: 6-foot-3, 213-pounds
Alvis Analysis: Receiver J. Michael Sturvidant is one of the few guys that I don’t know what to expect from. His usage at UCLA went down more and more as he played, but he will be one of Florida’s starting receivers at the beginning of the season. I think he will be more pushed by the receiver depth here, and I think that will show on the field. (Voted: No. 18)
Lance’s Last Word: Linebacker Myles Graham showed exponential growth during his freshman season. By the end of the year, it felt like Graham was everywhere. He was impressive in 2024, but he’ll have big shoes to fill with the departure of Shemar James. (Voted: No. 8)
On the Mark: While the highlight of his career to this point was his redshirt freshman season at Cal, no matter his usage, what has been a consistent for receiver J. Michael Sturdivant is his ability to get behind the defense to make a big play. That in itself makes him a great fit for what DJ Lagway does best. (Voted: No. 10)
(Tie) No. 10-Jadan Baugh (3-ballots | 44-points)
- Position: Running Back
- Class: Sophomore
- Size: 6-foot-1, 231-pounds
Alvis Analysis: Running back Jadan Baugh was a guy that not too many people had on their radar in the preseason. What started out as a flip from Arkansas ended with him becoming the third-string back, and he had such a good season, he now has his own catch phrase: RUN THE BAUGH. There is no question that he passes the eye test, and next season, I think he can be one of the better running backs in the SEC. (Voted: No. 5)
Lance’s Last Word: Running back Jadan Baugh was awesome as a freshman, tallying 673 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in limited work. Running back depth has been a strength for the Gators under head coach Billy Napier. While Baugh’s a great player, running backs coach Jabbar Juluke has developed reliable backups such as Ja’Kobi Jackson, Treyaun Webb, and KD Daniels. (Voted: No. 17)
On the Mark: If you are wondering why I have running back Jadan Baugh, who arguabley is one of the top five players on the team based on production, ranked No. 12 on my list, you have to keep in mind that his value is diminished somewhat by a deep running back room and how Florida utilizes their running backs. Unlike other positions, where there may be a standout player who takes an overwhelming majority of the snaps and his value is unquestioned. Jabbar Juluke will likely either split carries among the top two backs and even rotate three in and out, thus limiting Baugh’s appeal on an MVP list such as this. (Voted: No. 12)
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