Countdown to Kickoff 2025

#45 Carlos Alvarez WR (1969-71)
He was a star running back at North Miami High, but then-UF assistant Lindy Infante envisioned him as a wide receiver and Alvarez became a star at that position. Alvarez had perhaps the best receiving season in UF history as a sophomore in 1969 (88 receptions for 1,329 yards and 12 TDs), and he holds the school career record with 2,563 receiving yards (on 172 receptions, second-most in school history). He was an All-American in 1969. He closed out his career with one of his greatest performances — 15 receptions for 237 yards in a win at Miami in his hometown. Other notables: LB Andra Davis, LB Leon Pennington, RB Don Knapp, LB Jason Bartley, OL Tom Abdelhour.

.

 

#44 Richard Trapp WR (1965-67)
He was Spurrier’s favorite target in 1966, catching 63 passes for 872 yards and seven touchdowns. He led the Gators in receiving in his junior and senior seasons,
combining to catch 121 passes for 1,580 yards and eight TDs. His catch and dizzying run for a TD in the win over Georgia in 1967 is one for the ages.




#44 James Bates LB (1992-96)
Bates redshirted as a true freshman in 1992, was a backup in ’93 and ’94, then started in his final two seasons at UF.
He was a first-team All-SEC selection as a senior in 1996, when UF won its first national title. He led the Gators with 135 tackles that season.



#44 Ephesians (Fee) Bartley LB (1987-91)
An All-SEC linebacker in 1991 who spent a year in the NFL and a few more in the CFL, Bartley runs a business and tax consulting firm in Jacksonville but he’s never lost his passion for Florida football. He defined the 1990 season for the Florida defense when he laid out LSU wide receiver Todd Kinchen near midfield on the West sideline of Florida Field. As a regular poster on GC, his comments are interesting and controversial. Other notables: DT Marcus Thomas, WR Joel Parker, RB Willie Wilder.

 

#43 Glenn Cameron LB (1972-74)
He was a star running back at Coral Gables High but moved to linebacker at UF, where he played alongside high school teammate Ralph Ortega.
Cameron was a two-year starter, and he (along with Ortega) was a first-team All-SEC pick as a senior in 1974 after leading the Gators in tackles
with 185, of which 126 were solo. Other notables: LB Jelani Jenkins, LB Arthur White, DB Sonny Gilliam, DB Curtis White, FB Graham McKeel,
K Judd Davis, DB John Faix, LB Matt Farrior, DB Warren Gaffney.

 

#42 Jevon Kearse LB (1995-98)
Nicknamed “The Freak” because of his rare blend of size, strength and speed, Kearse terrorized opposing quarterbacks, running backs and receivers with his ability to make plays from sideline to sideline. In 1998, he was All-SEC, the AP defensive player of the year and a Butkus Award finalist.



#42 Keanu Neal S (2013-15)
As a junior in 2015, he started 11 of 12 games at safety under new head coach Jim McElwain. He missed the first 2 contests of the season with an injury. He recorded 96 tackles (third on the team), 51 solo tackles (led the team), 3.5 tackles for loss, one interception and 2 sacks. He has 14 tackles against the University of Tennessee and Louisiana State University. He declared for the 2016 NFL draft at the end of the season. Other notables: LB Bam Hardmon, LB Darren Hambrick, S Shea Showers, RB Garry Walker, FB Billy Latsko.

 

#41 Ed Robinson LB (1991-93)
Robinson, from DeFuniak Springs Walton, was a three-year starter at inside linebacker 1991-93) and is fifth in school history with 363 tackles.
He wasn’t flashy, just a solid inside ’backer. Despite his productivity (he twice had more than 115 tackles in a season), he never earned any All-SEC notice.



#41 Keith Kelsey LB (1995-99)
He’s a local kid (Newberry) who went on to do big things for the Gators. His biggest attribute might have been how big a hitter he was.
He certainly brought the wood and was one of UF’s heaviest hitters in the Steve Spurrier era. Other notables: LB Ryan Stamper, LB Steve Heidt, LB Mike Peterson, FB Hunter Joyer.



#41 Ryan Stamper LB (2006-09)
Stamper appeared in 41 games with 26 starts and was a team captain as both a junior and senior. He had 148 total tackles (77 solo) and made 13.5 tackles for loss. As a senior, Stamper earned second-team All-SEC honors. Other notables: LB Steve Heidt, LB Mike Peterson, FB Hunter Joyer.

 

#40 Jarrad Davis LB (2013-16)
He was a backup in his first two seasons, then a productive starter in his final two years as a Gator. He was a second-team All-SEC pick as a senior in 2016,
when he also earned some All-America mention and was a Butkus Award finalist. He was a first-round pick in the 2017 draft.
Other notables: FB Mike Rich, DE Johnnie Church, LB Brandon Siler, LB Brandon Hicks.



#40 Brandon Siler LB (2004-06)
Siler is one of the more underrated Gator players of this century. As a key member of the 2006 national championship team, he was Third-Team AP All-American and Second-Team
All-SEC. That year, Siler tied for the team lead with 53 solo tackles and was third with 10 tackles for loss. Other notables: FB Mike Rich, DE Johnnie Church, LB Brandon Hicks.