Team Blue defeated team Orange 38-32 in what was an unexpected, but exciting high scoring spring game. Gator Country provides you with ten standouts from Saturday afternoon.
WR Dallas Wilson
The freshmen receiver stole the show, hauling in an Orange and Blue game record 10 receptions for 195 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson’s 195 receiving yards tied Trevon Grimes’ Orange and Blue game record set back in 2019. The 6’3, 209-pound receiver found himself wide open a majority of the game, but did display some ability to run after the catch with 51 of his 195 yards coming after the catch. Wilson has a unique blend of size and speed which makes him incredibly difficult to cover in space. Outside of his athletic traits, Wilson has elite body control and understands how track the football, making him a primary target for deep shots down the field in traffic. Wilson went against the second team defense today which certainly helped his game on Saturday. Regardless, Dallas Wilson looks every bit the part of a future superstar wide receiver in this league.
RB Ja’Kobi Jackson
Redshirt senior running back Ja’Kobi Jackson is right there with Dallas Wilson for the main storyline from Florida’s Orange and Blue game. Jackson rushed for 198 yards and three touchdowns on just 10 carries, an average of 19.8 yards per attempt. The 5’11, 216 pound back had touchdown runs of 23, 40, and 90 yards, displaying elite breakaway speed. For the most part, Jackson was running through wide open holes created by Florida’s first team offensive line. However, on his 90-yard touchdown run, Jackson got caught up in a massive pile up before spinning away into open space. Jackson is viewed as a starting running back for the Gators, although he’ll likely split first team reps with sophomore Jadan Baugh.
LB Myles Graham
Sophomore Myles Graham was all over the field on Saturday, leading team Orange with eight tackles (five solo) while adding a tackle for loss to the stat sheet. One play in particular stood out to me. Graham lined up at cornerback and played man coverage against a receiver for team blue who ran a go route. Graham struck with him every step of the way and forced an incompletion, an impressive display of speed an athleticism from a 227-pound linebacker.
LB Ty Jackson
Freshman linebacker Ty Jackson led team Blue with 11 tackles (three solo). He also added one sack and two tackles for loss in an impressive second half performance. Jackson has great speed and natural instincts which helps him cover a ton of ground on the football field.
Kicker Trey Smack
Returning kicker Trey Smack set an Orange and Blue game record with a 56-yard field goal late in the 4th quarter. He also made all four of his PAT’s. Smack made 18 of 21 field goal attempts last year and should be considered one of the top kickers in the SEC entering 2025.
QB Harrison Bailey
Transfer quarterback Harrison Bailey completed 29 of 43 pass attempts (67%) for 363 yards and three touchdowns. Bailey did throw one interception, but it was after a drop from TJ Abrams that flew up in the air. Like I mentioned with Wilson, Bailey was going against Florida’s second team defense which certainly propped up his game quite a bit. Even still, Bailey looked calm and poised in the pocket as he progressed through reads. He was able to find Dallas Wilson in stride a number of times for a large gain. The only negative was the tipped passes at the line of scrimmage, which has been a problem (or a good thing if you look at it from a defensive perspective) throughout spring camp. Bailey threw to all levels of the side today and was able to work the defense sideline to sideline.
EDGE KOFI ASARE
Transfer edge Kofi Asare led both teams with two sacks on the day. He also added a QB hurry and five tackles to the stat sheet. It’s tough to grade defensive lineman in a spring game because they simply aren’t allowed to hit the quarterback, but Asare was able to use his speed to get around the edge with ease.
DB Drake Stubbs
Freshmen DB Drake Stubbs had an impressive spring game, logging an interception and eight tackles for team Blue. While the interception was tipped right to him, Stubbs had an impressive shoestring tackle on running back Duke Clark that saved at least 10 yards. He doesn’t look timid on the football field and seems to have great natural instincts.
WR Naeshaun Montgomery
Another freshmen receiver who looked the part was Naeshaun Montgomery, who caught three passes for 70 yards including a long of 51. Montgomery did a little bit of everything from run after the catch, elite route running, and deep catches down the field. On his first catch, Montgomery burned his defender on a deep slant with speed and footwork out of his break. Late in the game, Montgomery caught a seam pass up the middle of the field that he caught and took for 51 yards. The 6’1, 195-pound receiver might not be as flashy as Vernell Brown III or Dallas Wilson but is as well rebounded as they come for a freshman which could get him on the field early.
RB Jadan Baugh
It wouldn’t be fair to leave running back Jadan Baugh off the list as he made one of the better plays in the game. Baugh caught a check down four yards behind the line of scrimmage before taking it 48 yards up the field, making at least four defenders miss in the process. Baugh got a great block from WR Aidan Mizell down the field as well. In total, Baugh rushed for 56 yards on 11 attempts. Baugh and Jackson could be one of the best 1-2 punches in the SEC this season.