When most Gator fans are asked, “Name a Florida player who wore No. 15,” the answer is Tim Tebow. He’s one of the most iconic players not just in Florida history, but in all of college football. ESPN recently named Tebow the greatest college football player ever to wear No. 15.
We bring this up because plenty of players at Florida have worn No. 15 since Tebow’s departure, and it has always been seen as a badge of honor. And when you put that alongside what's happening at LSU right now, it's clear why Tebow has been so revered long after he left Gainesville.
Tim Tebow never needed Florida to protect No. 15
The drama between Jayden Daniels and LSU is quite comical to watch from afar. The gist of it is that after Daniels won the Heisman Trophy in 2023, then head coach Brian Kelly agreed that he wouldn’t let anyone else wear No. 5 at LSU. When DJ Pickett came to LSU, he wanted to wear No. 5, and the claim is that Pickett was promised the ability to wear No. 5, but he wore No. 3 last year.
Kelly is no longer the head coach, and when Lane Kiffin came to Baton Rouge, he let Pickett switch to No. 5.
This has led Daniels to involve a lawyer and send a cease-and-desist letter to LSU, saying he no longer wants the Tigers to use his name, image, and likeness because he feels disrespected that LSU let someone else wear his number. It has even gone as far as the Daniels camp asking LSU to return their copy of the Heisman Trophy.
Actions matter in legacies
Since Tebow left in 2009, these are the players who have worn No. 15 at Florida:
- Loucheiz Purifoy — 2011–2013
- Ryan Parrish — 2012–2014
- Brandon Powell — 2014
- Jacob Guy — 2015
- Eddy Piñeiro — 2016–2017
- Jacob Copeland — 2018–2020
- Derek Wingo — 2020–2024
- Anthony Richardson — 2021–2022
- Graham Mertz — 2023–2024
- Harrison Bailey — 2025
- Jayden Woods — 2025 (Woods will wear No. 0 in 2026)
- CJ Bronaugh — 2026
- Luke Harpring — 2026
Tebow didn’t pout like a child because he had to watch a 4th-string QB (Bailey) wear No. 15; he supported the program and has remained proud to pass down the number. As noted above, CJ Bronaugh and Luke Harpring are set to wear 15 in 2026, and neither of them is projected to be a star.
But it is part of what makes Tebow who he is and why he is so revered in Gainesville. He understands the value of the Gator logo above all else and does not get caught up in petty drama.
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