Florida linebacker Myles Graham selected to Wuerffel Trophy watch list ahead of 2026 season

Florida football has one more preseason honor to carry into the 2026 campaign. The Wuerffel Foundation, working with Allstate, released the 2026 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List on Tuesday, and Florida Gators linebacker Myles Graham was among the 113 Football Bowl Subdivision players selected for consideration.

The Wuerffel Trophy is designed to spotlight players who lead with service while also excelling in the classroom and on the field. In practice, that means the watch list is not simply a roster of the most productive defenders or the most prominent stars. It is a cross-section of FBS players whose public profiles include both academic progress and community engagement, in addition to their football role.

Graham’s inclusion places him in the same national group of nominees as the early favorites for a trophy that is typically awarded to a player who balances responsibilities well beyond the typical weekly football routine. For Florida, it adds another form of visibility as the Gators prepare for a full season where community work and academic achievement are part of the broader team narrative.

The Wuerffel Foundation’s release of the watch list serves as the opening act of the trophy process. Being named does not mean a player has locked up the award, but it does establish him as a candidate the organization will continue to monitor through the season, looking for sustained impact rather than one-time recognition.

For the Gators, the watch list note also helps frame how the program is promoting individual leadership. College football programs often use preseason watch lists to communicate values and development priorities, and the Wuerffel Trophy’s criteria align with a specific message about service, scholarship, and playing responsibility.

As the 2026 season approaches, the item to watch is how Graham’s profile develops across the year, particularly whether his off-field involvement and academic standing continue to remain as prominent as his work on the field. The trophy is ultimately seasonal, and the watch list is just the initial checkpoint for a longer evaluation window.

With the watch list now set at 113 FBS nominees, the next step in the Wuerffel Trophy timeline will narrow the field later in the year. Florida fans will be looking to see whether Graham’s combination of role as a linebacker and participation in the kind of service work the award emphasizes can translate into final consideration at season’s end.