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Senior center Jake Slaughter picked up his third preseason award watch list nomination on Tuesday. The Lombardi Award selected Slaughter after the Rimington and Outland Trophy watch lists had already included him earlier this summer.
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The trophy takes its name from former NFL Hall of Fame head coach Vince Lombardi.
It is awarded to the college football lineman who displays exceptional performance on the field and embodies the character Vince Lombardi emulated throughout his life. After Lombardi’s sudden death from cancer, organizers created the award in 1970 to help raise money for cancer research.
To qualify as a candidate, an athlete must play linebacker, avoid lining up in the backfield, or line up as a lineman no more than 10 yards from the ball at the snap. On defense, 10 defensive ends, seven defensive tackles, and 12 linebackers were nominated. Offensively, there are 11 offensive tackles, six offensive guards, five offensive centers, and three tight ends.
Leading the way
Slaughter led the way for the Gators up front and earned AP First-Team All-American honors for his efforts in 2024. Slaughter posted an 80.2 (out of 100) run-blocking and 84.2 pass-blocking grades last season according to PFF. Both the best on the team among linemen with at least 75 snaps.
“I think he has earned every single thing that he has got, and he is an absolute top leader on our team and sets the tone and the pace every day,” Florida head coach Billy Napier said of Slaughter on Monday via Swamp247 Zach Goodall.
“So I love Jake because he makes everybody around him better,” Napier said. “I think that’s his number one, most admirable trait… his ability to elevate the others around him and how they play and how they live life.”
The committee of this award will announce the winner on Dec. 9, 2025.
