Embarrassed in defeat, the Florida Gators tumbled out of this week's AP Top 25, but they still are a proud top 15 presence in the National Football League.
Thirty-eight former UF players populate the rosters of the NFL's 32 teams. (Alabama, of course, leads with more than 60.) During the opening week of NFL games, several Gators turned in highlight-reel performances reminiscent of their glory days in The Swamp.
The biggest Week 1 splash was second-year wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who showed why the San Francisco 49ers made him a first-round pick.
Pearsall, who has fully recovered from a gunshot wound that he suffered in August 2024, caught four passes for a game-high 108 yards in San Francisco’s 17-13 win over Seattle. His ability to stretch the field gave 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy a consistent deep threat and his 45-yard catch with 2:30 remaining in the game proved crucial.
The 49ers trailed the Seahawks 13-10. But five plays after Pearsall's big gain, Purdy threw a 4-yard TD pass to put San Francisco ahead for good.
"On the sideline, we were just talking like, ‘We need to go deep one time, we need to hit something on the double move’ and I told (head coach Kyle Shanahan) 'Let’s run a curl and go,' " Pearsall told reporters after the game. "Shanahan dialed it up and called it.”
The 49ers coach, by the way, is the son of Mike Shanahan, who was the Gators' offensive coordinator from 1980-83 under Charley Pell. Mike Shanahan later won two Super Bowls as head coach of the Denver Broncos.
Among other Gators making a mark in Week One:
- Chicago Bears defensive lineman Gervon Dexter Sr. delivered one of his strongest outings as a pro in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Dexter, in his third season with the Bears, recorded three tackles, including a sack and a tackle for loss.
- Veteran tight end Kyle Pitts of the Atlanta Falcons was a reliable target for quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in a 23-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Pitts, a first-round pick in 2021, caught seven passes for 59 yards and helped the Falcons move the chains in two of their four scoring drives.
- Rookie punter Jeremy Crawshaw, a native of Australia, played his part in Denver’s 20-12 win over Tennessee. His three punts averaged 48 yards and pinned the Titans inside their own 20-yard line. Crenshaw's ability to flip field position showed why the Broncos selected him in the sixth round of this year's draft.
- Placekicker Evan McPherson, in his fifth season with the Cincinnati Bengals, remained dependable, converting his lone field goal attempt and both extra points in a narrow 17-16 victory over Cleveland.
- In the Titans' loss to the Broncos, rookie return man Chimere Dike totaled 144 yards on four kick returns, including a 71-yarder that set up a field goal just before halftime.
According to the University of Florida athletic department, here are the former Gators playing in the NFL, with their jersey numbers, positions and years in the league:
Atlanta Falcons
8 – Kyle Pitts – TE – 5 years
30 – C.J. Henderson – CB – 6 years
Buffalo Bills
64 – O'Cyrus Torrence – OG – 3 years
Carolina Panthers
55 – Cam Jackson – DT – Rookie
Chicago Bears
99 – Gervon Dexter Sr. – DL – 3 years
Cincinnati Bengals
2 – Evan McPherson – K – 5 years
24 – Marco Wilson – CB – 5 years
98 – T.J. Slaton Jr. – DL – 5 years
Dallas Cowboys
13 – Dante Fowler Jr. – DE – 11 years
20 – Kaiir Elam – CB – 4 years
21 – Malik Davis* – RB – 3 years
25 – Trikweze Bridges – CB – Rookie
50 – Shemar James – LB – Rookie
Denver Broncos
16 – Jeremy Crawshaw – P – Rookie
Detroit Lions
34 – Alex Anzalone – LB – 9 years
65 – Kingsley Eguakun – C – 1 year
Green Bay Packers
57 – Brenton Cox Jr. – DL – 3 years
Houston Texans
6 – Tommy Townsend – P – 6 years
8 – C.J. Gardner-Johnson – S – 7 years
18 – Graham Mertz – QB – Rookie
31 – Dameon Pierce – RB – 4 years
77 – Trent Brown – OT – 11 years
Indianapolis Colts
5 – Anthony Richardson Sr. – QB – 3 years
Jacksonville Jaguars
51 – Ventrell Miller – LB – 3 years
Kansas City Chiefs
74 – Jawaan Taylor – OT – 7 years
Las Vegas Raiders
70 – Stone Forsythe – OL – 5 years
88 – Justin Shorter – WR – 3 years
Los Angeles Rams
72 – DJ Humphries – OL – 11 years
Miami Dolphins
33 – Jason Marshall Jr. – CB – Rookie
Minnesota Vikings
58 – Jonathan Greenard – OLB – 6 years
New Orleans Saints
98 – Jonathan Bullard – DE – 10 years
New York Jets
54 – Ja'Markis Weston – LB – Rookie
Philadelphia Eagles
74 – Fred Johnson – OT – 7 years
San Francisco 49ers
1 – Ricky Pearsall – WR – 1 year
5 – Demarcus Robinson – WR – 10 years
Tennessee Titans
11 – Van Jefferson – WR – 6 years
17 – Chimere Dike – WR – Rookie
78 – Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson – OT – Rookie
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GOODBYE, TOP 25: After an error-filled loss to a double-digit underdog, the Florida Gators tumbled out of the AP Top 25 rankings. CLICK HERE