A little less than five years ago, UF’s campus looked completely different. With everyone having just started to pick the pieces of their life back up amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Florida Gators football cautiously made its return to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Among the team was an eagle-eyed 18-year-old Derek Wingo, preparing for his collegiate debut.
Flash forward to today, and the rest of the world has seemingly returned to normal — but the landscape of college football has been flipped on its head. Players are passing through the transfer portal on an annual basis. If they aren’t declaring for the NFL Draft after their third season, there’s a good chance they’re flipping to another school — assuming they haven’t already.
But not Wingo. After having donned the orange and blue his entire career, the Fort Lauderdale native came back Fall 2024 for one final ride with the Gators. Loyalty is rare in today’s college landscape; at this point, many athletes and coaches view it as a privilege rather than an expectation. But at no point did Wingo expect to play anywhere besides Gainesville during his five-year collegiate career.
“Through two head coaches, four different position coaches, four different defensive coordinators, four different strength head coaches – it was definitely a lot,” Wingo said. “Knowing I could stay home, stay close to family, and then have a plan for my life in the future beyond football. I thought that the University of Florida was best for that.”
Wingo saw it all in his tenure at UF, from the Fall of Dan Mullen in 2021 to the rise of DJ Lagway in 2024. Through thick and thin, however, the versatile linebacker remained an ever-consistent presence in Florida’s defensive corps.
Statistically, his strongest campaign came in 2023, when he recorded a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, as well as 17 tackles and a blocked kick. However, his impact on Florida’s defense went far beyond any traditional measurements.
“I would say my legacy as a Florida Gator was someone who always showed up and went to work,” Wingo said. “Someone who always was able to push the guys around me to the best of their ability. Someone who’s vocal, who spoke up, who understood what everyone was going through, but was able to be the voice for many different things.”
Wingo’s teammates and coaches have consistently singled him out for his leadership, both on the field and in the locker room. Take redshirt senior Tyreak Sapp, who played with Wingo at St. Thomas Aquinas High School and is expected to serve as a leader along the defensive line for Florida this Fall. Sapp credits Wingo for helping shape him into the football player — and overall leader — he is today.
“He loved the program, but even more than the program, he loved the people that he played football with,” Sapp said. “He just loves us as teammates, all the guys that he came in with and that came in right after him.”
Wingo’s strong presence on defense can be potentially traced back to his original position: quarterback. Early into his playing days, he lined up under center for St. Thomas Aquinas. There, he teamed up with 2021 NFL draftee Elijah Moore to lead the Raiders to a Class 7A State Semifinals appearance in 2017.
The following season, Wingo made the full-time switch to defense — a decision that paid dividends. In 2019, he totaled a mind-boggling 18 sacks, while also recording 62 total tackles and 16 tackles for loss en route to earning 2019 Gatorade Florida Football Player of the Year honors.
Record-breaking performances and jaw-dropping statlines aside, Wingo’s crowning moment with St. Thomas Aquinas came in the state championship, where the Raiders defeated the Edgewater Eagles to complete a perfect 15-0 campaign. Wingo finished the game with eight tackles, two TFL and two sacks, cementing his mark as one of the top defensive players in the Sunshine State.
Upon arriving in Gainesville, Wingo took on more of a versatile role in Florida’s defense. Whatever role needed to be filled, he would step up and take care of it. Whether he was placing himself on the line or dropping back into coverage, Wingo put his heart and soul into each snap he took.
This attitude has earned him high praise from head coach Billy Napier, who took the helm in Florida following Mullen’s firing in late 2021. Even amid all the turnover that comes with today’s college football landscape, Wingo has remained as tried and true of an athlete as they come, never backing down from whatever challenges he faced.
“One of my all-time favorites,” Napier said in an appearance on Wingo’s podcast. “I’m proud of you, man. I’ve been keeping up with you, and you’ve been doing a great job.”
Wingo participated in Florida’s Pro Day on March 27 and plans to pursue a professional football career in the foreseeable future. He’s also dabbled in the world of sports media with his aforementioned “Wingin’ It With Wingo” podcast, which has featured guests such as Napier, Lagway and Miami wideout Xavier Restrepo, who played with Wingo at St. Thomas Aquinas.
No matter what route he ends up taking, the five-year Florida veteran will be looking to take a page out of Tom Petty’s book and not back down.
Contact Jack Meyer at jmeyer@alligator.org. Follow him on X @jackmeyerUF.
Jack Meyer is a fourth-year journalism major and the 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.
