Seven Gators Selected in 2025 NFL Draft
GREEN BAY, Wisc. – Seven Gators were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft on Saturday in Green Bay, Wisc. Florida continued its streak of having a pick in every NFL Draft since 1967. UF is one of three schools, along with USC and Michigan, and is the only SEC program to achieve the mark.
The seven draft picks mark the most for the Gators since eight were selected in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Chimere Dike (Round 4, 103rd Pick – Tennessee Titans)
Dike made an immediate impact at wide receiver in his lone season in Gainesville and was named a team captain ahead of the 2024 season. Dike started 11 games with the Gators, playing in all 13, and led the team in receptions with 42, while posting a career-best 783 yards with two touchdowns. He participated in the Reese’s Senior Bowl, the Hula Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine, where he ran the seventh-fastest 40-yard dash by any player (third fastest by a receiver).
Dike is the 46th Florida wide receiver taken all-time in the NFL Draft and the 10th Gator wide receiver selected in the NFL Draft since 2015. He is the 10th UF player drafted by the Titans.
Cam Jackson (Round 5, Pick 140 – Carolina Panthers)
A four-year starter in college at defensive tackle, Jackson spent three seasons with the Memphis Tigers, two as a starter, before transferring to Florida for his final two collegiate campaigns. During his time in Gainesville, Jackson started in 22 games on the defensive line, recording 69 tackles (31 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and four pass deflections. He was named SEC Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week (2023) after posting six tackles and a pass breakup in a win over Tennessee. Jackson participated in the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine.
Jackson is the 25th Gator defensive tackle to be selected in the common draft era and the first since Gervon Dexter Sr. in 2023. He is the 28th Florida defensive player and 10th defensive lineman drafted since 2015. He is the second Gator to be selected by the Panthers.
Jason Marshall Jr. (Round 5, Pick 150 – Miami Dolphins)
A four-year starter at cornerback for the Gators, Marshall Jr. played in 45 career games, earning 39 starts. He racked up 98 tackles (30 solo), 25 pass break-ups, 7.5 tackles for loss and two picks throughout his college career. A two-time member of the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll (2022, 2024), Marshall Jr. graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Education Sciences. Marshall Jr. participated in the East-West Shrine Bowl and NFL Combine this offseason in preparation for the NFL Draft.
Marshall Jr. is the 17th Florida cornerback drafted since 1967 and the first cornerback selected since Kaiir Elam in 2022. He is the 15th Gator taken by the Dolphins and the first since Jelani Jenkins in 2013.
Shemar James (Round 5, Pick 152 – Dallas Cowboys)
A three-year letterwinner at Florida, James saw the field immediately, playing in all 13 games as a freshman with four starts. The Mobile, Alabama native carved out a larger role in the following two seasons, serving as Florida’s starting linebacker in 21 games. In his three seasons at UF, James racked up 166 tackles (76 solo), 11.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, four pass deflections, two forced fumbles and a pick. He was named to the 2022 All-SEC Freshman team and was a 2022 CFN Freshman All-American Honorable Mention and was also named a team captain for the 2024 season. James also participated in the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine and Reese’s Senior Bowl.
James is the 41st Florida linebacker drafted since 1967 and the first since Ventrell Miller and Amari Burney in 2023. He is the 16th Gator taken by the Cowboys and the first since Joey Ivey in 2017.
Graham Mertz (Round 6, Pick 197 – Houston Texans)
A two-year starter at quarterback for the Gators, Mertz accounted for 3,694 yards and 26 touchdowns with a 73.7 completion percentage as Florida’s signal-caller. Known for his leadership, Mertz was named a team captain ahead of the 2024 season. He totaled 9,099 passing yards, 64 touchdowns and 793 completions with another 205 yards and 13 scores on the ground across his six-year collegiate career. A five-time All-Conference Academic Honoree (3x Big Ten, 2x SEC), Mertz graduated with honors for Florida in 2024 with a degree in Education Sciences.
Mertz is the 10th Florida quarterback to be drafted since 1967 and the third since 2020, joining Anthony Richardson and Kyle Trask. He is the fourth Gator to be drafted by the Texans and the first since Dameon Pierce in 2022.
Jeremy Crawshaw (Round 6, Pick 216 – Denver Broncos)
Crawshaw spent four seasons as the Gators’ primary punter, seeing action in 53 games while at Florida. Over his collegiate career, he tabbed numerous spots in the UF record book, sitting at first in career punt average (46.4), third in career punt yards (8,820), fourth in career punt attempts (190) and has the 12th longest punt in school history with a 69-yard boot in 2021 against Vanderbilt. During his time in Gainesville, the Emu Plains, Australia native was named to the AP All-SEC Second Team (2023), a Reese’s Senior Bowl All-American (2024), a CFN All-American Honorable Mention (2024), and was a member of the 2021 All-SEC Freshman Team. Off the field, Crawshaw was a five-time SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll member (2020-2024) and was named a team captain for the 2024 season.
Crawshaw is the fourth Florida punter drafted since 1967 and the highest since Tommy Townsend was selected in the fifth round in 2018. He is the 19th Gator to be selected by the Broncos and the first since Tyrie Cleveland in 2020.
Trikweze Bridges (Round 7, Pick 256 – Los Angeles Chargers)
Bridges played both safety and cornerback in his lone season at Florida, leading the Gators with 70 tackles (38 solo). He added two interceptions, six pass breakups, one tackle for loss and two forced fumbles to notch a 71.5 PFF grade across his 13 appearances. Prior to Florida, Bridges played at Oregon, where he appeared in every game for four consecutive seasons. He racked up 163 tackles (94 solo), 15 pass breakups, six interceptions and four forced fumbles in 61 career games. A member of the 2024 SEC Fall Honor Roll, Bridges earned an undergraduate degree in Sport Management from Florida.
Bridges is the 16th Florida safety to be drafted since 1967 and the first since Shawn Davis in 2021. He is the 10th Gator to be selected by the Chargers and the first since Brandon Siler in 2007.
Draft Notes
– With today’s selections, Florida has had 380 players drafted all-time and 290 players selected since 1967.
– With Jackson’s selection by the Carolina Panthers, the Gators have now had multiple players drafted by every current NFL team.
– Florida’s seven picks in rounds 4-7 set a program record, beating the previous record of six set in the 2003 and 2007 drafts.
– The Gators are tied for fifth among current SEC programs with 380 all-time draft picks.
The seven draft picks mark the most for the Gators since eight were selected in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Chimere Dike (Round 4, 103rd Pick – Tennessee Titans)
Dike made an immediate impact at wide receiver in his lone season in Gainesville and was named a team captain ahead of the 2024 season. Dike started 11 games with the Gators, playing in all 13, and led the team in receptions with 42, while posting a career-best 783 yards with two touchdowns. He participated in the Reese’s Senior Bowl, the Hula Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine, where he ran the seventh-fastest 40-yard dash by any player (third fastest by a receiver).
Dike is the 46th Florida wide receiver taken all-time in the NFL Draft and the 10th Gator wide receiver selected in the NFL Draft since 2015. He is the 10th UF player drafted by the Titans.
Cam Jackson (Round 5, Pick 140 – Carolina Panthers)
A four-year starter in college at defensive tackle, Jackson spent three seasons with the Memphis Tigers, two as a starter, before transferring to Florida for his final two collegiate campaigns. During his time in Gainesville, Jackson started in 22 games on the defensive line, recording 69 tackles (31 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and four pass deflections. He was named SEC Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week (2023) after posting six tackles and a pass breakup in a win over Tennessee. Jackson participated in the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine.
Jackson is the 25th Gator defensive tackle to be selected in the common draft era and the first since Gervon Dexter Sr. in 2023. He is the 28th Florida defensive player and 10th defensive lineman drafted since 2015. He is the second Gator to be selected by the Panthers.
Jason Marshall Jr. (Round 5, Pick 150 – Miami Dolphins)
A four-year starter at cornerback for the Gators, Marshall Jr. played in 45 career games, earning 39 starts. He racked up 98 tackles (30 solo), 25 pass break-ups, 7.5 tackles for loss and two picks throughout his college career. A two-time member of the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll (2022, 2024), Marshall Jr. graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Education Sciences. Marshall Jr. participated in the East-West Shrine Bowl and NFL Combine this offseason in preparation for the NFL Draft.
Marshall Jr. is the 17th Florida cornerback drafted since 1967 and the first cornerback selected since Kaiir Elam in 2022. He is the 15th Gator taken by the Dolphins and the first since Jelani Jenkins in 2013.
Shemar James (Round 5, Pick 152 – Dallas Cowboys)
A three-year letterwinner at Florida, James saw the field immediately, playing in all 13 games as a freshman with four starts. The Mobile, Alabama native carved out a larger role in the following two seasons, serving as Florida’s starting linebacker in 21 games. In his three seasons at UF, James racked up 166 tackles (76 solo), 11.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, four pass deflections, two forced fumbles and a pick. He was named to the 2022 All-SEC Freshman team and was a 2022 CFN Freshman All-American Honorable Mention and was also named a team captain for the 2024 season. James also participated in the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine and Reese’s Senior Bowl.
James is the 41st Florida linebacker drafted since 1967 and the first since Ventrell Miller and Amari Burney in 2023. He is the 16th Gator taken by the Cowboys and the first since Joey Ivey in 2017.
Graham Mertz (Round 6, Pick 197 – Houston Texans)
A two-year starter at quarterback for the Gators, Mertz accounted for 3,694 yards and 26 touchdowns with a 73.7 completion percentage as Florida’s signal-caller. Known for his leadership, Mertz was named a team captain ahead of the 2024 season. He totaled 9,099 passing yards, 64 touchdowns and 793 completions with another 205 yards and 13 scores on the ground across his six-year collegiate career. A five-time All-Conference Academic Honoree (3x Big Ten, 2x SEC), Mertz graduated with honors for Florida in 2024 with a degree in Education Sciences.
Mertz is the 10th Florida quarterback to be drafted since 1967 and the third since 2020, joining Anthony Richardson and Kyle Trask. He is the fourth Gator to be drafted by the Texans and the first since Dameon Pierce in 2022.
Jeremy Crawshaw (Round 6, Pick 216 – Denver Broncos)
Crawshaw spent four seasons as the Gators’ primary punter, seeing action in 53 games while at Florida. Over his collegiate career, he tabbed numerous spots in the UF record book, sitting at first in career punt average (46.4), third in career punt yards (8,820), fourth in career punt attempts (190) and has the 12th longest punt in school history with a 69-yard boot in 2021 against Vanderbilt. During his time in Gainesville, the Emu Plains, Australia native was named to the AP All-SEC Second Team (2023), a Reese’s Senior Bowl All-American (2024), a CFN All-American Honorable Mention (2024), and was a member of the 2021 All-SEC Freshman Team. Off the field, Crawshaw was a five-time SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll member (2020-2024) and was named a team captain for the 2024 season.
Crawshaw is the fourth Florida punter drafted since 1967 and the highest since Tommy Townsend was selected in the fifth round in 2018. He is the 19th Gator to be selected by the Broncos and the first since Tyrie Cleveland in 2020.
Trikweze Bridges (Round 7, Pick 256 – Los Angeles Chargers)
Bridges played both safety and cornerback in his lone season at Florida, leading the Gators with 70 tackles (38 solo). He added two interceptions, six pass breakups, one tackle for loss and two forced fumbles to notch a 71.5 PFF grade across his 13 appearances. Prior to Florida, Bridges played at Oregon, where he appeared in every game for four consecutive seasons. He racked up 163 tackles (94 solo), 15 pass breakups, six interceptions and four forced fumbles in 61 career games. A member of the 2024 SEC Fall Honor Roll, Bridges earned an undergraduate degree in Sport Management from Florida.
Bridges is the 16th Florida safety to be drafted since 1967 and the first since Shawn Davis in 2021. He is the 10th Gator to be selected by the Chargers and the first since Brandon Siler in 2007.
Draft Notes
– With today’s selections, Florida has had 380 players drafted all-time and 290 players selected since 1967.
– With Jackson’s selection by the Carolina Panthers, the Gators have now had multiple players drafted by every current NFL team.
– Florida’s seven picks in rounds 4-7 set a program record, beating the previous record of six set in the 2003 and 2007 drafts.
– The Gators are tied for fifth among current SEC programs with 380 all-time draft picks.
2025 Football Season Tickets
After seven sold-out games in 2024, fans can now secure 2025 season tickets for the six home games in The Swamp with matchups including Long Island (Aug. 30), USF (Sept. 6), Texas (Oct. 4), Mississippi State (Oct. 18), Tennessee (Nov. 22), and Florida State (Nov. 29). Season ticket packages are available starting at less than $85 per game along with a Gator Boosters contribution.
Click here to secure Season Tickets
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