Move over DBU (Defensive Back University).

Make room for what should be an exciting year of pitch and catch among Florida quarterback DJ Lagway and a deep and talented receiving corps.

“We have more playmakers than we’ve had,” said University of Florida football coach Billy Napier. “Chim (Chimere) Dike, Elijhah Badger did great for us last year and both are off to the NFL, and we had Pearsall two years ago, but we added five new players to that room.”

Badger led the Gators in receiving in 2024 with 806 yards on 39 receptions in 12 games played. Although he wasn’t drafted, he signed a free agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.

In 13 games, Dike, who was drafted in the fourth round by the Tennessee Titans, finished with 42 catches for 783 yards.

Two years ago, Ricky Pearsall was drafted in the first round (31st overall) by the San Francisco 49ers after leading the Gators in receptions (65), receiving yards (965) and receiving yards per game (80.4).

Other first and second round UF wide receivers taken in the NFL Draft over the last 20 years include Kadarius Toney (New York Giants, 1st round) in 2021, Van Jefferson (Los Angeles Rams, 2nd round) in 2020, Percy Harvin (Minnesota Vikings, 1st round) in 2009, and Chad Jackson (New England Patriots, 2nd round) in 2006.

But as good as the receivers have been over the years, Florida has not had a 1,000-yard receiver in over 20 years.

The last to do it was Taylor Jacobs in 2002. Despite missing three games, he finished with 1,088 yards, including a UF single-game record 246 yards receiving in the season opener against UAB.

Others have come close.

Pearsall may have gotten it if quarterback Graham Mertz doesn’t suffer a third-quarter nondisplaced collarbone fracture at Missouri in November of 2023. He had two catches for 72 yards and it’s certainly possible he could have gone well over 100 yards.

Toney came the closest with 984 yards receiving in 2020.

But that could change in 2025, at least that’s what CBS Sports predicts.

Without Lagway in this year’s Orange & Blue spring game, true freshman Dallas Wilson (Tampa Bay Tech) emerged with a spring game record 10 catches for 195 yards (tied for most receiving yards in Orange and Blue game history) and a pair of touchdowns.

“Dallas is going to make our team better,” Napier said. “I think what I really appreciate about Dallas is this spring his work ethic, his work capacity, his toughness, the way he competes in practice, his practice habits. He’s a big, physical player. He’s a tough guard. He’s a tough matchup.”

Wilson (6’3, 209), rated as a five-star recruit by On3 Industry Rankings and the 247 Sports composite, averaged 18.6 yards per catch in high school and finished his career with 2,424 yards receiving and 30 touchdowns.

“The guy hasn’t played in a game yet, so there’s some growth that needs to take place,” Napier said. “He’s got some good veteran players around him that have experience. So there will be a different level of self-discipline and intensity and urgency once we get to the season, but there’s no question Dallas is going to make our team better.”

But there is another 5-star receiver from Tampa (Gaither High School) who just might have a chance to reach the milestone this year.

Redshirt sophomore Eugene “Trey” Wilson III (5’10, 189) only played in four games last year due to a hip injury. He finished with 266 yards receiving, including a career-high 141 receiving yards against Samford.

“Nobody’s talking about Tre Wilson coming back,” Napier said. “He’s a difference maker for us. Obviously, there’s a Lagway effect there in terms of players wanting to play with him.”

Because of his speed, Napier called him a “one-play touchdown player.”

He’s built for Lagway’s favorite offensive play.

“I love play action, especially coming off the run, like a little post concept with a spear or dig right behind it, something to kind of get a high low off the safeties,” Lagway said. “I feel like that’s where I excelled at last year, so I’m excited. Yeah, that’s one of my favorite play concepts.”

There’s also newcomer Vernell Brown III (5’11, 172), who was listed in the ESPN Top-300 at No. 41.

The true freshman, another 5-star recruit, finished with 143 receptions for 2,488 yards and averaged 99.5 yards per game for Jones (Orlando).

Another newcomer is UCLA transfer J. Michael Sturdivant (6’3, 216), who had a pair of 100-yard games for the Bruins last season and set a career-high with 142 yards receiving in the 2023 LA Bowl victory against Boise State.

The redshirt senior also played two seasons at Cal and led the Bears in receptions (65) and touchdown catches (7) while second in yards (755) and receiving yards per game (69.92) in 2022.

Add to the mix 4-star recruit Naeshaun Montgomery (6’1, 185), a redshirt freshman from Miami Central, and Muizz Tounkara (6’4, 195), a 3-star recruit who flipped from Arizona, plus redshirt sophomore Aidan Mizell, another deep threat, and wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales has to be salivating when thinking about the future.

“It’s a good group,” Napier said. “I coached receivers at Alabama and been around really good players at Clemson, at Arizona State, we’ve always had a lot of really good players, but there’s some unique ones in this group.”

Florida is deep and talented at wide receiver this season.

“I think the thing that has impressed me about the group is no drama, blue collar, Dallas, Vernell, Naeshaun, Muizz, J-Mike, it’s a blue-collar group,” Napier said. “This spring, it was competitive. You get to get in the top six, you better be ready to go every week.”