Gators’ Receiver Room As Talented As Ever

Even though DJ Lagway is sidelined, the Florida Gators quarterback of the future has excellent weapons for the next few years to come.

“We’ve got four talented new receivers,” Florida coach Billy Napier said. Every one of them is making noise.

Veteran Presence, New Energy

Florida reloaded its receiver room after losing Chimere Dike and Elijhah Badger, who accounted for over half the team’s receiving yards in 2024, to the draft. In their place, the Gators brought in both youth and experience. UCLA transfer J. Michael Sturdivant has notched 123 catches in his career and has a knack for making big plays. Freshmen Vernell Brown III, Dallas Wilson and Naeshaun Montgomery, each ranked among the top 15 receivers in the 2025 class, offer raw speed.

Sturdivant brings more than numbers.

“The big-play potential is there,” Napier said. “He’s also very smart and mature. He’s hit the ground running.”

“J. Mike has put on over 15 pounds since he got here,” Miles added. “And he just keeps getting faster and stronger.”

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Wilson, a Tampa, Florida, native with a big frame and elite track speed, already looks like a breakout candidate. Brown III, a dynamic athlete from Orlando, Florida, adds versatility. Montgomery, a four-star signee out of Miami, rounds out the quartet, pushing the group to new levels.

Returning Players Face Pressure 

For returnees like Eugene Wilson III and Aidan Mizell, the challenge is clear: earn your spot. Wilson III showed flashes as a freshman before an injury derailed his sophomore season.

Mizell, once one of the program’s most hyped recruits, needs to turn potential into production. He caught just 17 passes for 207 yards last year. That won’t cut it in 2025. Mizell has the tools, track speed, burst, and a natural ability to separate. Now he must prove he can do it consistently. 

A Competitive Room with High Stakes

Offensive coordinator Russ Callaway summed it up best.

“The young guys we signed at receiver, I mean, holy cow,” he said. “They’re extremely hard workers.”

With the Gators’ receiving corps faster and deeper than it’s been in years, no job is safe.