Gators' Standout Performances Earn National Award Recognition
Florida’s football program has placed a series of standout players on prestigious preseason watch lists that honor the nation’s top performers at their respective positions.
Alec Clark, a redshirt junior punter who transferred from Tulane, earned a spot on the Ray Guy Award watch list after a 2025 season that saw him punt 48 times for an average of 46.5 yards, with 16 of those kicks landing inside the 20‑yard line. His consistency helped him secure first‑team All‑AAC honors and a place on the Shriners Children’s East‑West Bowl 1000 list, while his off‑field work included 48 hours of community service aimed at education, housing, food security and youth programs.
Linebacker Myles Graham also received notice, landing on the Butkus Award preseason list. Graham topped the Gators with 76 tackles, including 36 solo stops, and added eight quarterback hurries, seven tackles for loss, four pass breakups and two sacks. He joins a short list of SEC players who recorded at least 75 tackles and 7.0 tackles for loss, and his community involvement mirrors Clark’s, totaling 48 hours of service across similar causes.
Running back Jadan Baugh’s versatility earned him a place on the Paul Hornung Award watch list and a first‑team preseason All‑American nod from ESPN. He opened all 12 games, rushing for 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns while also catching 21 passes for 185 yards and two scores. His production made him the SEC’s leading rusher in both yards and touchdowns.
Wide receiver Vernell Brown III, also highlighted on the Hornung list, paced the Gators with 40 receptions for 512 yards, underscoring the depth of the receiving corps.
Kicker Patrick Durkin and center Harrison Moore rounded out the recognitions. Durkin, a Groza Award preseason watch list member, converted 25 of 28 field goals (89.3%) and 41 of 42 extra points. Moore, a transfer from Georgia Tech, appeared in 11 games with eight starts and earned a spot on the Rimington Trophy watch list for his snapping work.
The award cycles will continue through the fall, with semifinalist announcements slated for mid‑November for the Ray Guy and Rimington honors, and late November for the Butkus and Hornung lists. Finalists will be revealed in late November and early December, culminating in the Home Depot College Football Awards in December where the ultimate winners will be celebrated.