It’s that time of year between National Signing Day and the start of Spring practice and on the national stage, major publications have produced their rankings for the 2019 season. We found 10 publications that presented their way-too-early Top 25 for 2019 and will take a peek at each and discuss the content.

Florida surprised almost everybody with their final 10-3 record and No. 6 finish in the Coaches’ Poll and No.7 in the Associated Press Poll in 2018. With that in mind, the team didn’t meet their first and second goals of winning the SEC East and winning the SEC Championship. Those will be the top two goals again for the 2019 season.

The Gators lost just four key players on defense in defensive end Jachai Polite (early to NFL), defensive end CeCe Jefferson (SR), linebacker Vosean Joseph (early to NFL), and Nickel/ Star Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (early to NFL). Florida has talent to replace all four, but they will have a lot to live up to. Jefferson and Polite mainly played the same position, so we are talking about three positions on defense, one at each level to fil voids, and that all of a sudden doesn’t seem quite as much of a task.

On offense, running back Jordan Scarlett bolted early for the NFL, but the trio of Lamical Perine, Dameon Pierce, and Malik Davis have shown they are all capable and all have big play making ability. The real task for Florida and co-offensive coordinator John Hevesy is to replace four starters on the offensive line with guys that have much less experience than the group that just left.

Florida returns both punter Tommy Townsend and placekicker Evan McPherson who had very good seasons for the Gators in 2018.

The Gators started outside of the preseason polls in Dan Mullen’s first year at Florida, but it is very clear that the different college football pundits share a brighter outlook on Mullen’s team in 2019 per their preseason rankings.