If we had assigned rankings to the most important tasks for new Florida head coach Jon Sumrall after being hired away from Tulane, #1 would have been to retain rising junior running back Jadan Baugh for UF’s 2026 roster.
As of early Tuesday afternoon, consider it done, as the star RB inked a new deal with Florida Victorious, the program’s NIL arm.
As a true sophomore in 2025, Baugh garnered second-team All-SEC honors after rushing for 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He also snagged 33 receptions for 210 yards and a pair of TDs.
Baugh saved his best for last, recording the second-best single-game rushing total in program history. He went off for 266 rushing yards and two TDs on 38 attempts to lead the Gators to a 40-21 win over Florida St. in their regular-season finale.
Baugh’s 266 rushing yards fell shy of only Emmitt Smith’s 316-yard effort vs. New Mexico in 1989. His 38 carries were the fourth-most in UF history.
Baugh had a team-best 673 rushing yards and seven TDs with a 5.1 YPC average as a true freshman in 2024. He added four catches for 33 yards and one TD.
Baugh enjoyed his breakout performance in his first career start vs. Kentucky as a freshman. He ran for 106 yards and five TDs, tying the school record for rushing TDs held by Tim Tebow and Trey Burton, in a 48-20 home win.
In two seasons, Baugh has 1,843 rushing yards and 15 TDs, averaging 5.2 YPC. He has 37 career receptions for 243 yards and three TDs.
Although he’s had 390 career touches, he’s only fumbled once, and that was in Week 2 as a freshman during a 45-7 win over Samford.
The RB room got its stud back Tuesday and added quality depth with a commitment from Cincinnati transfer Evan Pryor, who has one season of eligibility remaining.
In 10 regular-season games for the Bearcats in 2025, Pryor had 522 rushing yards and three TDs while averaging 6.9 YPC. He caught 10 passes for 107 receiving yards and one TD.
Pryor was the catalyst in a 38-30 home win over 14th-ranked Iowa St. when he needed only 10 totes to net 111 rushing yards and a pair of scores.
Pryor was a four-star prospect in the 2021 class who signed with Ohio St. out of high school. He was ranked as the nation’s #4 RB and #83 overall player by the 247Sports Composite.
Pryor played in four games as a true freshman, using his redshirt season. When he missed all of the 2022 campaign due to injury, he was granted a medical redshirt.
Pryor transferred to Cincinnati ahead of the 2024 season. He ran for 418 yards and six TDs for the Bearcats, averaging 7.5 YPC.
In 30 career games, Pryor has 1,087 rushing yards and 10 TDs with a 6.3 YPC average. He has 28 career catches for 298 yards and two TDs.
Pryor has fumbled only twice with his 200 career touches.
As of early Tuesday afternoon, Florida had the nation’s #15 overall recruiting class, per the 247Sports Composite. The Gators were ranked #21 in terms of transfer-specific additions (nine).
Ga. Tech transfer QB Aaron Philo made his long-anticipated commitment to UF earlier today as well. He’s a three-star transfer that has been in new offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner’s offense for two seasons.
Philo started one game for Ga. Tech in 2025, leading the Yellow Jackets to a 59-12 win over Gardner-Webb in Week 2. He completed 21-of-28 throws for 373 yards and one TD with one interception.