Jon Sumrall raves about Gators pass rusher Jayden Woods: ‘The sky is the limit’
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Florida pass rusher Jayden Woods is set to be a veteran leader for the Gators during Jon Sumrall‘s first season in Gainesville.
Just as Sumrall was getting on campus, though, Woods’ future at Florida was up in the air. The Gators pass rusher entered the transfer portal at the end of the 2025 season, looking to keep his options open in an ever-changing NIL landscape.
“We were able to hold on and get him to stay at the University of Florida, and I was pretty excited when that happened,” Sumrall said during the SEC’s weekly teleconference on Wednesday. “I’m even more excited about the fact that he made the decision to stay each and every day that I get to work with him. He’s really, really talented.”
Woods and returner Kamran James posted the most sacks on Florida’s roster last season at 3.5 sacks each. Entering 2026, Sumrall thinks Woods can be even better.
“I think the sky is the limit for what Jayden can achieve on the field. But what makes it fun working with him day in, day out is just holistically he’s a fantastic person,” Sumrall said. “He has high standards for himself in every area of his life and not just football. He’s going to be successful in any endeavor he takes on just because of the way he’s wired. So very grateful he’s on our football team. Like I said, I was excited off my first impression that we got to keep him. I’m even more excited now.”
There’s certainly room for improvement as Woods adds to his game experience. Last season as a freshman Woods collected 27 tackles with 3.5 sacks, 1 pass deflection, 1 interception and 1 forced fumble. Now, he’s set to star as Florida’s primary pass rusher as the Gators start the season on Saturday against FAU.
Ethan Stone is a Saturday Down South News Editor and an advocate for the return of the Seattle Supersonics.
