Jon Sumrall and the Florida Gators have received a huge update in the NCAA transfer portal.
The Florida Gators are entering a new era of football with head coach Jon Sumrall taking things over.
After an incredibly disappointing run with former head coach Billy Napier leading the way, a fresh change to Sumrall will be welcome. Of course, Sumrall is fresh off of helping lead the Tulane Green Wave to being a College Football Playoff team this season.
Sumrall has gotten to work quickly in Gainesville. On Tuesday, he was able to make a major move in the NCAA transfer portal that will have big ramifications on the 2026 college football season.
According to a report from On3 Sports college football insider Pete Nakos, Florida has agreed to a deal with running back Jadan Baugh in the portal to bring him back for next season.
"BREAKING: Florida star RB Jadan Baugh has signed a new deal to return in 2026," the post read.
Baugh put together a highly impactful season for the Gators in 2025. He racked up 1,170 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 220 carries, averaging an impressive 5.3 yards per carry. In addition, he caught 33 passes for 210 yards and two more touchdowns.
Keeping that ground game production was key for Florida. Baugh will once again be a big part of the offense next season under Sumrall.
Bringing Baugh back to Gainesville was no easy task. Plenty of teams across the nation would have loved a chance to bring him onboard as a lead running back.
Now, the Gators simply have to figure out the other areas of need. Finding a starting quarterback will be one of those areas with DJ Lagway choosing to leave the program in the transfer portal.
Only time will tell what next season holds for Florida. Sumrall is hoping to turn things around quickly, but there is no guarantee he will be able to do so.
Baugh was a top priority for the Gators, but there is more work to be done. Fans can at least rest easy knowing that Sumrall is an improvement in and of himself and that he'll do everything in his power to put in the work to get the Florida football program back on track quickly.