In the ever-growing world of college football, it can be easy to lose track of potential stars on the rise or for players to fly under the radar. Nevertheless, with the new season now less than a week away, it’s only a matter of time before some of these young guns will put their talents on display and have the chance to make an immediate impact.
Florida is no exception here. Following a productive offseason that saw them compile the No. 13 recruiting class in the nation in 2024 according to 247Sports, the Gators will have plenty of true freshmen contributors this coming Fall.
LJ McCray
McCray is the top defensive player the Gators landed this offseason. The five-star edge rusher enters the program as one of the top three defensive line recruits in the country according to On3 and 247Sports.
The buzz around McCray over the last 12 months has been prevalent for Florida fans. After leading Mainland High School to its first state championship since 2003, McCray received significant interest from powerhouse programs including Florida State, Miami and Auburn. In the end, UF head coach Billy Napier managed to reel in the third-best player in the nation, per On3.
McCray has the potential to be an enforcer at the line of scrimmage for the Gators down the road. He possesses the athleticism needed to create pressure from nearly anywhere on the defensive line, largely in part to his enormous 6-foot-6, 274 pound frame.
While McCray is not projected to start Week 1, he is expected to receive significant reps on the Gators’ defensive front throughout the 2024 season.
Aaron Chiles
Chiles enters Florida’s linebacker room with a great deal of potential. The unanimous four-star recruit hails from Largo, Maryland, where he was named the state’s MaxPreps Player of the Year in 2023.
Chiles received offers from Georgia, Alabama, Florida State and Miami before committing to play for Napier this Fall. The Maryland native has been described by analysts and coaches as a high-IQ football player possessing a wide variety of skill sets.
Chiles’ former high school coach Andy Stefanelli went as far as calling his former star linebacker “the quarterback of [their] defense,” according to On3 Sports.
Myles Graham
Already a familiar face within the Gainesville football community, Graham played his senior year at F.W. Buchholz High School, just under five miles away from UF’s campus. The son of former Gator and Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Earnest Graham now has a chance to make a name for himself at his father’s alma mater.
Graham received offers from defending national champion Michigan, as well as SEC opponents Alabama and Georgia, before signing his letter of intent to Florida. The consensus four-star linebacker ranked as high as the No. 26 player in the nation, according to Rivals.
Like his father, Graham has proven himself to bring a speedy and reliable presence on the field. He will team up alongside Chiles to form what could be one of the most talented up-and-coming linebacker duos in the nation over the next few years.
DJ Lagway
Perhaps the crowning jewel of an already-impressive recruiting class is Lagway. The unanimous five-star recruit was named the 2023 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year and MaxPreps Player of the Year.
A true dual-threat quarterback, Lagway can make just as many plays with his feet as he can with his arm. The 6-foot-3 and 239 pound Texas native received comparisons to former Gator and 2023 NFL first round pick Anthony Richardson according to 247Sports, thanks in part to his sizable frame and playmaking abilities.
Lagway is expected to sit behind starting redshirt senior quarterback Graham Mertz for the majority of the season. Down the road, however, Lagway will be in a prime position to establish himself as the star of the program and turn Florida back into a winning program.
Amir Jackson
If any freshman on this list is poised for an immediate breakout, it’s likely Jackson. Sitting behind redshirt sophomore tight end Arlis Boardingham and redshirt sophomore Hayden Hansen, Jackson is slated to receive reps and playing time as the season goes on.
The four-star tight end out of Portal, Georgia, ranked as a unanimous top ten tight end in the country according to ESPN, On3, 247Sports and Rivals. Jackson excelled as a three-sport athlete, competing in track, basketball and football during his time at Portal High School.
Jackson’s athleticism on the track and the court have seamlessly translated to his skill sets on the field.
KD Daniels
Rounding out Florida’s potential freshman breakouts, Daniels hails from West Point, Mississippi. The unanimous four-star running back ran for 2,737 yards and 29 touchdowns this season en route to a state championship while taking home the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A Mr. Football award.
Daniels originally wasn’t slated to see much action on the field this season. However, after projected starting running back Montrell Johnson Jr. went down with a knee injury in the opening days of fall camp, it increased Daniels’ role in the running backs group ahead of Florida’s matchup against Miami Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Contact Jack Meyer at jmeyer@alligator.org. Follow him on X @jackmeyerUF.
Jack Meyer is a fourth-year journalism major and the Assistant Sports Editor for The Alligator. In his free time, he enjoys reviewing music, spending time with friends, playing video games and going to the gym.
