Florida Gators Make History in 2026 NFL Draft: A Round-by-Round Recap
The 2026 NFL Draft recently concluded with Rounds 4-7, and the Florida Gators had a successful showing with seven players selected. This marked a historic moment for the program as they had a player chosen in each round for the first time ever. The players selected were Caleb Banks, Jake Slaughter, Austin Barber, Devin Moore, George Gumbs Jr., Trey Smack, and Tommy Doman, making program history with their selections.
The seven draft selections by the Gators in 2026 are the most since they had eight selections in 2021 and tied for the third-most since the NFL Draft moved to seven rounds in 1994. Over the years, the Gators have had multiple close calls to achieving the feat of having at least one player selected in every round since the draft expanded to seven rounds.
Among the drafted players, there were some notable achievements. Caleb Banks became Florida's first defensive lineman taken in the first round since 2018, while Jake Slaughter and Austin Barber had their own milestones as well. Slaughter became the first center drafted from Florida since 2014, and Barber was the highest-drafted non-center offensive lineman since 2019.
Additionally, Trey Smack and Tommy Doman made history as the first kicker/punter duo from Florida to be selected in the same draft. Doman's selection also marked the first time Florida had a punter chosen in back-to-back drafts, following Jeremy Crawshaw's selection in the sixth round the previous year.
The Florida Gators had a successful 2026 NFL Draft with seven players selected, marking a historic moment for the program. The players chosen in each round made program history, and their achievements added to the legacy of Florida football in the NFL.