Five Florida Gators Land on Panini Senior Bowl’s Top 300 Watch List
Gainesville, Fla., August 20, 2025 — The University of Florida football program received a significant boost Wednesday as five Gators earned spots on the prestigious Panini Senior Bowl Top 300 watch list. Senior wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant, along with offensive linemen Austin Barber and Jake Slaughter, and defensive standouts Caleb Banks and Tyreak Sapp, are now among the most closely watched upperclassmen in the college football landscape .
Exclusive Recognition as the Draft Looms
The Senior Bowl Top 300 list, crafted by the Senior Bowl’s scouting department, has become a marquee indicator for NFL Draft evaluations. This year’s list was significantly trimmed from 850 players—one of the largest pools of draft-eligible upperclassmen—to just 300, aiming to spotlight the nation’s premier draft prospects .
Senior Bowl Executive Director Drew Fabianich explained the rationale behind the tighter selection: “We decided to trim our watchlist from 850 to 300 to raise the bar and truly spotlight the top-tier talent across the country,” he said. “Our scouts will be on the road every week, tracking how these players perform and who continues to rise.”
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Meet the Gators on the List
J. Michael Sturdivant (WR)
A redshirt senior transfer, Sturdivant brings invaluable experience to the Gators’ receiving corps. His collegiate journey includes two seasons each at Cal and UCLA, where he posted 123 receptions for 1,667 yards and 13 touchdowns. Despite modest production last year with just 22 receptions for 315 yards on an underperforming UCLA team, his career résumé and potential earned him this invite .
Austin Barber (OT)
A stalwart on the offensive line, Barber started every game at left tackle for Florida in 2024, logging 729 offensive snaps. Pro Football Focus gave him a solid run-block grade of 70.0 .
Jake Slaughter (C)
The linchpin of Florida’s offensive front, Slaughter started all 13 games last season and led the team in snaps with 800. Pro Football Focus rated him among the nation’s best centers: pass-block grade 83.9, overall offensive grade 81.1 (fifth nationally), and run-block grade 79.0 (seventh nationally) .
Caleb Banks (DL)
Another fifth-year returner, Banks has been a dominant presence on Florida’s interior defensive line. Over two years at UF, he has recorded 40 tackles (9 for loss), 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. He’s also garnered attention in national preseason mock drafts as a projected first-round pick in 2026 .
Tyreak Sapp (EDGE)
Returning for his final season in Gainesville, Sapp led the team in sacks (7) and tackles-for-loss (13) during the 2024 campaign. He also tied for the team lead with two forced fumbles and posted a PFF grade of 90.4—the highest among all qualified Florida players, ranking eighth nationally among FBS edge rushers and fifth in the SEC .
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What This Means for the Gators and the Draft
This recognition solidifies Florida’s reputation as a program with elite NFL-caliber talent across the trenches and in skill positions. Offensive line strength is underscored by the inclusion of Barber and Slaughter, promising a formidable front in 2025. On defense, Banks and Sapp anchor a robust front with proven disruption. Meanwhile, Sturdivant adds dynamic playmaking ability to an already potent receiving corps.
Statistically, players featured in the Senior Bowl—especially in recent years—have high Draft upside: 50% of first three-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft had participated in the Panini (formerly Reese’s) Senior Bowl . For Gators fans and NFL scouts alike, the inclusion of five players in such a selective watch list shines a spotlight on UF’s 2025 season as a tipping point for several NFL futures.
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Looking Ahead
With the college football season approaching rapidly, these Gators face heightened expectations—not only to lead Florida on the field, but also to validate their standing among the nation’s elite. NFL scouts will be tracking every practice rep and game performance, measuring whether their potential holds up once the lights go on.
Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier, whose team returns experienced talent across its roster, will likely leverage this recognition to further energize the locker room and fan base. As spring gave way to preseason and camp, the aura around this group is unmistakable, and their leadership will be crucial in driving Florida’s success.
The full Senior Bowl Top 300 list highlights the depth and breadth of talent in college football’s upperclassmen class—a
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