Nine Gators Receive Invitations To NFL Combine

The Florida football team will send nine draft-eligible players after invitations to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine.

This annual event, hosted in Indianapolis, invites the best of the best talent around the country with future NFL legends, scouts, coaches and general manager around the league from Feb. 24 through March 3. The Gators’ invitation just reflects the program’s continuous success in developing top prospects to the next level.

The top UF prospects:

• Graham Mertz (QB) – Team captain (2024). Started five games in 2024 before suffering a season-ending injury at No. 8 Tennessee.
• Montrell Johnson Jr. (RB) – Started at running back in eight of 10 games played in 2024 with 100 carries for 593 yards (5.9 yards per carry, 65.9 yards per game) and six touchdowns on top of 13 catches for 64 yards.
• Elijhah Bagder (WR) – Played in 12 games in 2024, led Florida with 806 receiving yards (13th in SEC) in addition to 39 receptions and four receiving touchdowns.
• Jason Marshall Jr. (CB) – Started the first seven games in the 2024 season, suffering a season-ending injury and tallied 20 tackles (13 solo).
• Shemar James (LB) – Team captain (2024),  Started all 13 games at linebacker and totaled 64 tackles (34 solo), 2.0 sacks, 4.0 tackles for loss, one interception, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, two QB hurries and three pass breakups.
• Cam Jackson (DL) – Recorded 37 total tackles (14 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and two pass break ups through 12 games with a start in 11 of them.
• Chimere Dike (WR) – Team captain (2024), Reese’s Senior Bowl Participant (2025), Hula Bowl Participant (2025)
• Jeremy Crawshaw (P) – Team captain (2024),  Handled all of Florida’s punting duties for the fourth consecutive season.
• Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson (OL) – East-West Shrine Bowl participant (2025), Transferred and joined the Gators in the spring semester … Appeared in all 12 games this season and garnered 11 starts.

These invitees have demonstrated exceptional skills and dedication all season long, solidifying their place in the NFL draft conversation.

Invited! GNV ➡️ IND!#GoGators | #GatorMade pic.twitter.com/cYZdBrbHjY

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) February 14, 2025

With this nine prospects, the Gators update the all-time list of invite players to a total of 278. Florida ranks second all-time in the SEC since 1987, just behind football powerhouse Alabama.

SEC invitees since 1987

1. Alabama – 290
2. Florida – 278
3. LSU – 274
4. Georgia – 267

A total of 329 prospects will be part of this year’s combine. Live drills begin Thursday, Feb. 27 at 3 p.m. EST on NFL Network and NFL+.

https://twitter.com/GatorsFB/status/1889471150230573351