The Billy Napier era’s most painful “what if” is leaving Florida for good

There are a million “what ifs” we will look back on with the Billy Napier Era, but one of the great one ifs from the past four years is “What if Eugene Wilson was allowed to actually run route?” Despite being a top-100 prospect coming out of high school and having the potential to be Florida’s most dangerous player, Wilson couldn’t stay healthy, and when he did, he seemingly wasn’t permitted to run routes.

Alas, Wilson is off to the transfer portal with Gator fans wondering what could have been.

Eugene Wilson to hit the transfer portal

Wilson came to Gainesville as part of the class of 2023 and, on paper, was part of a talented receiving trio that also included Aidan Mizell and Andy Jean. Of the three, it was Wilson who saw the field right away, and he racked up 61 catches for 583 yards and six TDs as a true freshman.

Heading into 2024, the grand question was whether or not Wilson’s role would be expanded from being a gizmo and gadget guy. 

The simple answer was no.

Even before injuries took hold, it was clear that Wilson was relegated to being a guy that Florida’s staff only trusted to catch the ball at the line of scrimmage. His ADOT (average depth of target) was one of the lowest in the country. He eventually had season-ending surgery on his hip after playing in just four games in 2024.

2025 was much of the same, and when Billy Napier was fired after the win over Mississippi State, Wilson had just one catch in his college career where he was at least 20 yards down the field when targeted.

But then, for a brief glimmering moment of hope, Wilson broke out against Georgia. He had two catches in that game alone where he was at least 20 yards down the field, and he finished the game with nine catches for 121 yards and a TD.

Just when it seemed like Wilson was finally going to be unleashed for Florida fans, he emerged from the Georgia game needing ankle surgery, and his season was done.

There is no official word on how hard Florida’s new staff tried to keep Wilson, but the belief is that Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson have been the two main priorities within the receiver room to bring back.

Eugene Wilson will still have two seasons of eligibility left.