How the NCAA's New Eligibility Rules Affect Florida Gators Football
GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The NCAA last month approved its groundbreaking new eligibility rules that give student-athletes five full participation seasons within a five-year window, which replaces the previous four full participation seasons within a five-year window.
As a result, the Florida Gators football program has seen a multitude of its players receive an additional year of eligibility.
It is important to note that players who have redshirted in a previous season do not stand to benefit from the new rules, and waivers for additional years are also eliminated. Additionally, years of eligibility are not an indication of whether a player will use every season at Florida, with the NCAA Transfer Portal still in effect.
That being said, here is where eligibility stands for Florida's entire 2026 football roster.
Final Year of Eligibility
These players are currently in their fifth year of college and do not benefit from the NCAA's new rules. The only significant player of note is wide receiver Kahleil Jackson, who is in his seventh year of eligibility after multiple injury waivers from the NCAA.
- RB Evan Pyror
- WR Kahleil Jackson
- DL Emmanuel Oyebadejo
- OLB Kofi Asare
- LB TJ Bullard
- CB Jordy Lowery
- CB Javion Toombs
- S Alfonzo Allen Jr.
- LS Carter Milliron
Two Years of Eligibility
These players received an additional year from the NCAA after initially being in their final year of eligibility, or are listed as redshirt juniors on Florida's roster. Contributors such as Eric Singleton Jr., Knijeah Harris, Kamran James and Bryce Thornton each received another year of eligibility.
*denotes redshirt junior
- QB Aidan Warner*
- RB London Montgomery*
- WR Jaden Edgecombe*
- WR Jaylen Lloyd*
- WR Micah Mays Jr.*
- WR Eric Singleton Jr.
- WR Bailey Stockton*
- TE Evan Chieca*
- TE Lacota Dippre*
- OL Knijeah Harris
- OL Bryce Lovett*
- OL Caden Jones*
- OL Roderick Kearney*
- OL TJ Shanahan Jr.*
- DL Brendan Bett*
- DL Mason Clinton*
- DL Kamran James
- DL DK Kalu*
- DL Jamari Lyons*
- OLB Erich Seager*
- LB Jaden Robinson
- CB Vincent Brown Jr.*
- CB Dijon Johnson*
- CB Cormani McClain*
- Star Kanye Clark*
- S DJ Coleman
- S Brayden Slade*
- S Bryce Thornton
- P Alec Clark*
Three Years of Eligibility
These players have already exhausted two years of eligibility but will have three full years remaining under the NCAA's new rules, or are listed as redshirt sophomores on the roster. Jadan Baugh, Harrison Moore, Aaron Chiles, Myles Graham and Cam Dooley are among those of note to receive another year of eligibility from the new rules.
*denotes redshirt sophomore
- QB Aaron Philo*
- QB Aaron Williams*
- RB Jadan Baugh
- RB Kelvin Jimenez*
- WR TJ Abrams*
- TE Luke Harpring*
- TE Amir Jackson*
- OL Eagan Boyer*
- OL Mark Faircloth*
- OL Harrison Moore
- OL Fletcher Westphal*
- OL Jason Zandamela*
- DL LJ McCray*
- OLB Titus Bullard*
- OLB Charles Emanuel III*
- LB Aaron Chiles
- LB Myles Graham
- LB Evan Jackson*
- LB Matthew Kade*
- S Cam Dooley
- K Patrick Durkin*
- K Liam Padron*
- K Brandon Rabasco*
- P Miller Fealy*
- P Nicholas Inglis*
Four Years of Eligibility
These players have already exhausted a year of eligibility but will have four full years remaining under the NCAA's new rules, or are listed as redshirt freshmen on the roster. Vernell Brown III, Jayden Woods, Emeka Ugorji, Joseph Mbatchou and Jeramiah McCloud, among others, each retained a year of eligibility despite playing in more than four games last season as true freshmen.
Tramell Jones Jr., Dallas Wilson and Ben Hanks III are among those who redshirted last season but do not get that season back as it is within their five-year window. They still have four years of eligibility remaining.
- QB Tramell Jones Jr.*
- RB Brian Case*
- RB Duke Clark*
- RB Byron Louis*
- WR Vernell Brown III
- WR Ace Ciongoli*
- WR Dallas Wilson*
- TE Micah Jones*
- OL TJ Dice Jr.*
- OL Jahari Medlock*
- OL Daniel Pierre Louis*
- OL Emeka Ugorji
- OLB Jayden Woods
- DL Joseph Mbatchou
- DL Jeramiah McCloud
- DL Jalen Wiggins*
- LB Ty Jackson
- LB Myles Johnson
- LB Dylan Leighton*
- CB J'Vari Flowers
- CB Ben Hanks III*
- CB Onis Konanbanny*
- Star Elijah Owens
- S Lagonza Hayward
- S Drake Stubbs
- LS Hunter Solwold*
Five Years of Eligibility
These are true freshmen who will have five full years of eligibility as they enter their first season of college. They will not have the ability to traditionally redshirt as teammates in previous classes had.
- QB Will Griffin
- WR Davian Groce
- WR Marquez Daniel
- WR Justin Williams
- TE Tripp Brown Jr.
- TE Heze Kent
- OL Corey Brown
- OL Chancellor Campbell
- OL G'Nivre Carr
- OL Tyler Chukuyem
- OL Desmond Green
- OL Javarii Luckas
- DL Kendall Guervil
- DL JaReylan McCoy
- OLB KJ Ford
- LB Malik Morris
- CB CJ Bronaugh
- CB CJ Hester
- Star Dylan Purter
- S Kaiden Hall
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/florida as How the NCAA's New Eligibility Rules Affect Florida Gators Football.
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This story was originally published July 7, 2026 at 12:42 PM.