NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
The latest CBS Sports rankings of Power Four college football coaches were released this week, and Florida football head coach Billy Napier landed at No. 45 overall–a modest climb of two spots from his 2024 position.
The rankings, compiled by a panel of CBS experts, evaluated coaches across the Power Four based on both short-term results and long-term potential.
Despite skepticism after a turbulent start to his tenure, Napier’s Gators posted a winning record in 2024 and held their own in SEC play. Still, his spot at No. 45 is a sign that the national media remains unconvinced of Florida’s upward trajectory under his leadership.
Deion Sanders, on the other hand, made the biggest leap of any coach in the rankings. After guiding Colorado to a 9-4 season, Sanders surged 28 spots to No. 33.
Meanwhile, Bill Belichick, now leading North Carolina, debuted at No. 54 despite never having coached at the college level.
As for Napier, a return to double-digit wins or a serious SEC title run would likely be needed to push him higher next time around. For now, he remains firmly in “prove it” territory. But at least he’s still on the board.
The full rankings are expected to drop soon, with coaches like Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian expected to be at the top in terms of coaches from the SEC.
As of now, CBS Sports has only released rankings from No. 68-26.
Here is what CBS Sports writer Tom Fornelli wrote about Napier and the Florida Gators.
What CBS Sports said about Napier
2024 rank: 47 (+2), High: 31, Low: 51
“First, let me congratulate Napier on still being here. I really didn’t think he’d make it another year when I was staring at Florida’s death march of a 2024 schedule. But the Gators went 8-5, and Napier is getting at least one more season. It’s somewhat surprising that he didn’t climb a…
Source link : https://gatorswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/gators/football/2025/05/22/florida-football-billy-napier-coaches-rankings-2025/83787342007/
Author :
Publish date : 2025-05-22 14:20:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
