Florida sophomore wide receiver Caleb Douglas will miss four to six weeks with a lower leg injury, Gators head coach Billy Napier confirmed Monday. Douglas went down in UF’s 33-14 loss to Kentucky Saturday.
Douglas became a key player for the Gators offense this season. After appearing in eight of Florida’s 13 games as a freshman, the Missouri City, Texas product started in UF’s first five games this season.
He’s been productive opposite senior wideout Ricky Pearsall. Douglas is second on the team with 111 receiving yards. The sophomore is one of the Gators’ best deep threats with catches of 34, 19 and 21 yards this season.
Douglas was a three-star recruit and top 500 player in the 2022 recruiting class, per the 247Sports composite rankings. He signed with Napier and Florida despite heavy interest from local power Baylor.
With Douglas set to miss a significant chunk of the season, the Gators will have to rely on several young faces at wide receiver.
Freshman Eugene Wilson III proved to be a dynamic playmaker in Florida’s first three games, but he missed the last two with a collarbone injury. If he’s healthy, Wilson will play a key role in the Gators’ offense.
Fellow true freshman Andy Jean saw his playing time increase over the last two weeks with injuries to Douglas and Wilson. Jean caught his first career touchdown against Charlotte two weeks ago.
“Andy's role will definitely grow here,” Napier said. “It was good to see him be able to execute and to get some experience.”
Redshirt sophomore Marcus Burke and junior Ja’Quavion Fraziars are two veteran receivers who could see more playing time with Douglas’s injury. Both have played sparingly this season, but Burke had 67 yards against Utah in the season opener.
Florida will return to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium this Saturday to face the Vanderbilt Commodores. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
Contact Topher Adams at tadams@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @Topher_Adams.
Topher Adams is a fourth-year communications major and in his fourth semester with the Alligator. He previously covered football, baseball and women's basketball. He also enjoys professional lacrosse and Major League Soccer.
