![Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) and Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier watch during spring football practice at Heavener Football Complex at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, March 6, 2025. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_4448,h_2502/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/213/01jxmjw9tsvatyneecd4.jpg "Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) and Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier watch during spring football practice at Heavener Football Complex at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, March 6, 2025. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]")
Noted college football writer Phil Steele just dropped his preseason All-Americans, and the Florida Gators have four players on his list. Jake Slaughter, Rocco Underwood, Caleb Banks, and Eugene Wilson III all made Steele's All-American list in some capacity.
Add in the fact DJ Lagway wasn't even on Steele's list, combined with exciting members of the roster, and the Gators are going to have the talent to compete in 2025.
It also means that Billy Napier is out of excuses if he doesn't get it done in 2025.
Billy Napier has no excuses ahead of the 2025 season
We here at Hail Florida Hail already called for Napier to be fired after the loss to Texas A&M, so in our minds, he is on borrowed time as it is.
Our main contention with Napier is that his rosters have been good enough that Florida should be better than 19-19 during the Napier Era. While it is not a perfect metric, the 247 Talent Composite has ranked the Gators no worse than 15th in Napier's three years at the helm.
Florida has yet to finish a season ranked under Napier.
There were narratives during his first two seasons that he was cleaning up the mess from Dan Mullen and that Napier was having to rely upon Mullen guys to try and win. There is a hint of truth to that, but even if that were the case, it isn't the case now.
Napier is in year four of his tenure, and at this point, virtually everyone in Gainesville is someone he handpicked to come to Gainesville.
And as the Steele list highlights, it's not like Napier doesn't have the talent to work with for 2025.
Outside of defensive tackle, safety, and tight end, there are not many units one could point to as a genuine weak spot on the team. In fact, many would point to linebackers, quarterbacks, and running backs as bona fide plus units on the team, with wide receivers, offensive line, corners, and EDGE having the potential to join them.
It all adds up to ask the question: if Napier can't win with this roster, then when will he ever win?