It’s hard to comprehend what Jadan Baugh is capable of doing on the football field at his size.
At 6'1", 228 pounds, Florida’s star running back isn’t supposed to glide the way he does. It’s not uncommon for Baugh to juke defenders, but it’s easy to forget he has that in his arsenal when he’s constantly shedding defenders running between the tackles. So, when Baugh hit the juke move in open space against Campbell last week, the TV announcer had a natural reaction to seeing his full skill set on display during the 75-yard touchdown run.
Ah, the juke.
Shot out of a cannon!! 75 yards!! pic.twitter.com/RNBRksiXJP
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) September 13, 2026
Yep, Baugh can do it all. It’s only been two games, and already he has silenced the doubters who questioned whether he had enough “home-run” explosiveness to warrant being a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL draft. Baugh has 28 carries for 296 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 10.6 yards per carry. Maybe it’s O.K. to give the critics a pass. Again, it’s difficult for evaluators to understand Baugh’s unique versatility.
Baugh’s longer ramp-up on his runs than others at his position is what makes him special. Not many running backs have the kind of patience and vision that has allowed him to find extra space on the football field.
It’s no longer difficult to understand how he gained all of these extra traits after speaking with the early Heisman Trophy candidate this week. Baugh said he often watches film on Le’Veon Bell (probably where he got the patience for the jukes), Christian McCaffrey (this explains his skills in the passing game) and Derrick Henry (all of the powerful runs make more sense now).
“I really like watching a lot of backs because you can take so much from their game and apply it to my game and tweak it in a way I can use it,” Baugh said.
Baugh, who didn’t play running back until his senior year in high school, credited his physicality on the field to his early days of being an offensive lineman. He started on the offensive line because he was often one of the strongest players on his team, and that’s still the case at Florida; Baugh claims he can squat more than 600 pounds.
Over time, Baugh leaned out and shifted to playing wide receiver, where he learned the art of patience when it comes to route running and searching for open space. Thanks to his mother Whitney’s competitive side and athleticism, Baugh tried a variety of sports growing up, including basketball and track and field. Baugh said his mother was pregnant with him while she played for her high school basketball team.
“She played for a month straight and did not know,” Baugh said.
When Baugh isn’t trucking and juking defenders, he enjoys fishing with his father, Corey, and siblings. Baugh tends to reel in different sizes of catfish, but he doesn’t mind coming home empty handed after bonding with his family.
“We just sit in the boat,” Baugh said. “Just have fun. It doesn’t matter if I catch anything. I don’t care. I’m just happy to be out there.”
Baugh mentioned that his father and those of an older generation love to watch his physical runs. However, the do-it-all Gator appreciates when he applies a move he learned from watching YouTube videos, and it comes to fruition on the football field, like his juke-and-score play against Campbell. (He also had a filthy sidestep in the season opener against Florida Atlantic.)
“I watch YouTube a lot and I seen a lot of guys doing some crazy juke moves. I just wanted to apply it to my game, so every time I could, I did it.” Jadan Baugh
“I watch YouTube a lot and I seen a lot of guys doing some crazy juke moves,” Baugh said. “I just wanted to apply it to my game, so every time I could, I did it.”
New Florida coach Jon Sumrall thanked Baugh on the field before the opener against Florida Atlantic for not leaving when he easily could have after a tumultuous four-win season for the Gators in 2025. However, the decision wasn’t that difficult for Baugh, who loves being a Gator. Additionally, his family enjoys being in Gainesville, Fla., as much as they do being home in Atlanta.
Also, it didn’t sit well with Baugh that he was being asked in the middle of last season whether he would stay or leave. So, for now, let’s refrain from asking whether the junior running back will declare for next year’s draft.
“I love Gainesville,” Baugh said. “I love the fans. I love the people who live here. It’s everything to me, and, honestly, the decision came down to where do I really want to be, and I feel at home here.”
For now, let’s enjoy the show because it’s not normal what Baugh is doing on the football field.
Drew Mestemaker with a massive 75-yard rush on Oklahoma State's first play of the game 😤 pic.twitter.com/zTyXZb8ISH
— ESPN (@espn) September 12, 2026
Mystery third QB update
If you’ve been reading this weekly draft notebook, you know I’ve been adamant about a third quarterback eventually joining Arch Manning and Dante Moore when it comes to the first tier of prospects at the position.
At the moment, that appears to be Miami’s Darian Mensah due to his hot start. I’ve heard nothing but good things from scouts when his name comes up, which led me to claim that he’ll be a top-five pick in next year’s draft.
However, Mensah didn’t have much competition last week in Miami’s 77–7 win over Florida A&M. So, let’s put the focus on a different quarterback, one I had already written off.
Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker made me look silly after his stellar performance against Oregon, after I said a week ago that it would probably be better for him to stay in college another season following the loss to Tulsa. That may still be the case, but he proved in the upset 39–31 win over the Ducks that he’s certainly worth being talked about in the same regard as the other top QB prospects.
Mestemaker outplayed Moore, who opened the door a little wider for that third mystery quarterback to enter that first tier. Mestemaker kept his eyes downfield to hit timely shots and had a leaping, game-changing touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Mestemaker had 317 passing yards, 109 rushing yards, including a 75-yard run, and three total touchdowns in the memorable performance. He’s still erratic at times (he had two interceptions last week), but he’s a relentless playmaker. It’s probably best to let this season play out before jumping to conclusions about whether he needs to stay in college another season or enter the 2027 NFL draft.
With that said, Mestemaker is back in my second tier of quarterbacks, next to Mensah, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, USC’s Jayden Maiava and Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss. As mentioned before, there might be six quarterbacks taken in the first round come April.
WEEK 3 RISERS AND FALLERS
RISERS
Isaiah Horton, WR, Texas A&M
I was told to keep a close eye on Horton a few weeks back, and it’s been fun to watch him on game days. He hasn’t been needed as much in two blowout wins, but he had a spectacular toe-tap touchdown against Arizona State last week. He has reliable hands and size at 6'4", 215 pounds to be a dangerous perimeter playmaker.
TOE TAPPIN pic.twitter.com/44IPZMihw4
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 12, 2026
Reed Harris, WR, Arizona State
I’ll admit, I turned on Texas A&M vs. Arizona State mainly to keep tabs on Horton, but Reed caught my attention, too. The Boston College transfer had a handful of big plays, racking up nine receptions for 189 yards and two touchdowns. It was his second consecutive game with at least 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He has excellent size at 6'5", 220 pounds.
Colin Simmons, edge, Texas
Simmons is off to a dominant start. He popped off the screen against Ohio State and helped keep his team within striking distance for the eventual comeback victory. He recorded one sack and two tackles for loss. I started the year with Dylan Stewart ranked over Simmons, but now I’m not sure about the order. It also doesn’t help that Stewart hasn’t played this season due to a back injury.
FALLERS
Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State
Sayin had a rough performance against the Longhorns. He struggled with accuracy and connecting with his talented wide receivers. He finished 17-of-32 for 278 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Sayin, who’s 6'1", 214 pounds, needs to be better at establishing a rhythm for his teammates.
John Mateer, QB, Oklahoma
Mateer had a forgettable outing against Michigan, completing only 51.5% of his passes for 189 yards, one touchdown and one interception. It seemed he had turned a corner after an impressive performance in the season opener against UTEP (225 yards, three TDs), but again made critical errors against better competition.
David Stone, DT, Oklahoma
It’s getting tougher by the week to believe Stone will eventually reach his high ceiling. He has failed to make a noticeable impact through two games with no tackles for loss on the season. His limited playing time is also concerning.
MORE NFL FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
- SI:AM | The Bills’ Offense Is Humming, While the Lions’ Defense Sputters
- The Brian Flores–Ben Johnson Chess Match: Here’s What the Numbers Say
- Inside the 49ers’ Trip to Australia and How They Defeated Jet Lag and the Rams
- Albert Breer on Bills' Win Over Lions, Desperate 0-1 Teams and Chiefs' Offensive Success
