GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida Gators redshirt junior center Jake Slaughter will return to school in 2025 for his redshirt senior season. Considered one of the best centers in the NFL, Slaughter’s return to school for his final season of eligibility is a huge win for Billy Napier and the Gators. On Monday, Slaughter was named a First Team All-American by the Associated Press.
Slaughter earned a starting job at center this season for the Gators. He ranked third nationally among centers with an offensive grade of 81.2, per Pro Football Focus. Slaughter’s pass block grade for the season stands at 83.8 and his run block grade of 79.1 ranks seventh in the country. Slaughter is widely considered to be one of the top centers eligible for the 2025 NFL Draft.
Last season, Slaughter played in all 12 games, making eight starts in place of the injured Kingsley Eguakun. He graded out as the No. 14 center in the FBS with a 75.9 PFF grade across 622 total snaps. That consistent play carried over to this season, making Slaughter was one of the premier centers nationally and an On3 4-star college player.
Slaughter, from Sparr, Florida and a graduate of Trinity High School in nearby Ocala. He was named to the 2019 Ocala Star-Banner All-County first team after blocking for a 2,200-yard rusher and helping Trinity Catholic make the 3A regional finals. Slaughter originally committed to Florida State, but flipped once he received an offer from Florida. He enrolled at Florida in 2021 and redshirted. He played in all 13 games as a redshirt freshman in 2022.
Slaughter’s return is huge for the Gators on the offensive line. He’ll anchor a unit that steadily improved throughout the season and a line that allowed just 19 sacks over Florida’s 12 regular season games.
