Chimere Dike, Cam Jackson, Jason Marshall Jr., Shemar James, Graham Mertz, Jeremy Crawshaw and Trikweze Bridges were drafted on Saturday in the 2025 NFL Draft. Desmond Watson is officially the heaviest football player signed to an NFL contract.
Florida continued its streak of having a pick in every NFL Draft since 1967. UF is one of three schools, along with USC and Michigan, and is the only SEC program to achieve the mark.
The seven draft picks mark the most for the Gators since eight were selected in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Chimere Dike (Round 4, 103rd Pick – Tennessee Titans)
Cam Jackson (Round 5, Pick 140 – Carolina Panthers)
Jason Marshall Jr. (Round 5, Pick 150 – Miami Dolphins)
Shemar James (Round 5, Pick 152 – Dallas Cowboys)
Graham Mertz (Round 6, Pick 197 – Houston Texans)
Jeremy Crawshaw (Round 6, Pick 216 – Denver Broncos)
Trikweze Bridges (Round 7, Pick 256 – Los Angeles Chargers)
The only really surprising "miss" I think was Gathers, who ended up among a number of Gators who soon after the draft were able to at least see their agents negotiate rookie contracts with various NFL teams.
Mertz getting picked in the 6th round, ahead of Ewers, who wasn't drafted at all, was interesting.
In other news the past week, Napier in particular, and our whole program of late it seems, continued to be generally underrated ("short-changed"?) in what is getting to be a fairly predictable fashion of late...
Who ELSE, like myself, somehow is at this point no longer surprised by this sort of thing?:
"Napier NOT Highly Rated Among Experts", and
"Florida Near Bottom of 2025 ESPN SEC Poll" (they had only Vandy rated lower, by the way...).
...These are recent headlines that we see, the kind that hardly even raise my eyebrows anymore.
In fact, I suspect that their effect on our players, more than ever by now very much a TEAM, is to great extent to further strengthen that collective chip-on-the-shoulder, "us-against-the-world" mentality that could simply, HOPEFULLY only ADD to their strength, resiliency and determination throughout what promises to be another long, tough and greuling campaign ahead in 2025.
I don't know how it will really go. Lagway IS throwing again (and frankly looking VERY good doing it--yes, these are just the first very slick "home movies" of his private off-campus workouts, but DAMN: More than ever THAT looks like one cannon of a throwing arm!). Even our portal "losses" have so far seemed to be quickly, encouragingly made good. 2026 recruiting has, like LAST year's started somewhat discouragingly slow and choppy...Like just about everything ELSE about the program under young Mr. Napier and Company, it seems best to reserve judgment:
"WAIT AND SEE."
Sorry. That seems the closest thing to "Hope" anyone can offer a fan of Gator Football now.
That and finding ourselves heartily singing "Don't Back Down", still in it and fighting hard with a chance to WIN IN EVERY GAME again THIS season too!
