Florida’s projected 2026 offensive starters give Aaron Philo a loaded supporting cast

After a long offseason and months of talking season, the Florida Gators are going to take the field for real this Saturday against FAU. While there will be some returning faces, Florida fans will need to get used to a handful of new faces Gator fans need to learn.

On paper, Florida’s offense is more settled than its defense to start the 2026 season. Here are the projected starters ahead of Florida’s opener.

Projected Florida starters on offense for 2026

Quarterback - Aaron Philo

One of the major storylines in the offseason was Florida’s quarterback battle. Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo battled it out with returning backup Tramell Jones. In reality, this was a battle Jones didn’t have much of a chance in, as Jon Sumrall admitted that Philo’s knowledge of the offense, given his connection with new offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, gave him a leg up.

While there are concerns with Philo, he can be a capable manager of the offense, and given the players we are about to highlight, that might be all Florida needs in 2026.

Running back - Jadan Baugh

The QB battle took up so much oxygen during fall camp that we almost forgot that the focal point for this team is going to be Jadan Baugh. He is coming off a year where he became the first player in a decade at Florida to rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season. And depending on the list, Baugh has been selected as a preseason All-American.

Florida does have a couple of interesting options at RB2, Duke Clark and Evan Pryor, but Baugh is going to carry the bulk of the load.

Wide receivers - Vernell Brown III, Dallas Wilson, Eric Singleton Jr.

If healthy, this trio can be as deadly a unit as any in the country. What makes Florida’s wide receivers a potential matchup nightmare is that all three of these players bring something just a bit different to the table.

But Wilson's health is particularly worth following, and while Florida has a capable backup core, the Gators won’t hit their ceiling without these three healthy.

Tight end - Luke Harping

The tight end room for Florida feels the most interchangeable of any of the groups on offense. This group will be dependent on whatever formations Faulkner opts for, but it does seem like the guy they will lean on the most is Georgia Tech transfer Luke Harping; Amir Jackson and JMU transfer Lacota Dippre should also get some early looks.

Offensive line - Bryce Lovett, Knijeah Harris, Harrison Moore, T.J. Shanahan Jr., Emeka Ugorji

This group drew a ton of ire from Sumrall during the spring, but throughout fall camp he softened his tone and seemed almost optimistic about the group as fall camp ended. The biggest surprise in this group was that Sumrall said Bryce Lovett would be the left tackle to start the season. 

We’ll see if this unit that starts the year is the unit that ends the year, but for now, this appears to be the group Florida will start 2026 with.

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