Florida fans bracing for roster reset if Jadan Baugh rumors are true

It's another day, and we might be a day closer to Jadan Baugh making a decision that will heavily determine Jon Sumrall's plans for the 2026 Florida Gators football roster. Now we're getting reports from the Texas 247Sports site that Baugh is expected to enter the transfer portal.

Before you completely panic, there's nothing official yet, and this report is simply more 'agent sources'. But as the smoke gets thicker, there's a good chance that a fire will be found sooner than later.

Texas, of course, is one of the several teams that are heavily monitoring Baugh's situation. Ohio State is also keeping a close eye and Georgia is a team to watch. But the Longhorns recently hired Florida's running backs coach, Jabbar Juluke, and that could give them the inside track.

Baugh rushed for 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns this season, closing the show with a memorable 266-yard, two-touchdown performance against Florida State. The sophomore has also proven to be a solid pass-catching back, hauling in 33 passes this year. 

Is Florida ready to move on without Baugh?

Sumrall made it clear in a media session yesterday that retaining Baugh is a high priority and the Gators will probably make a competitive offer for the running back. But if he decides to leave, it's going to force Sumrall to decide how he wants to approach the 2026 season.

The first step is going to be finding a quarterback. That process already appears to be in motion, with the Gators heavily favored to sign former Georgia Tech quarterback Aaron Philo and reunite him with Buster Faulkner. 

With the expectation that the Gators will retain top wide receiver Dallas Wilson, the new offense will be built around Philo and Wilson. There will be plenty of running backs out there in the portal and a chance to restock the position for the season with an eye on identifying some young backs to recruit for the 2027 class. 

One running back the Gators will likely take a look at is C.J. Baxter. The former Texas running back is from Orlando and could be looking to get closer to home. Baxter had a very promising freshman season in 2023, but injuries have slowed him down, and now he's looking for a fresh start. Sumrall could also look to his Tulane roster for depth, where freshman Javin Gordon could provide some much-needed depth. 

However it happens, if Baugh departs, Florida basically has an empty running backs room and it will be on Sumrall to hire a new coach for the posiiton and start reloading.