88 Days Until Kickoff: Best Florida Gators to wear No.88

With the 2025 college football season slowly approaching, Florida Gators on SI will be recognizing some of the top players to suit up in the Florida Gators’ orange and blue. 

Since Florida kicks off their season against Long Island University in 88 days, let's take a look at some of the best players in program history to wear No.88.

Wilber Marshall (1980 to 1983)

This one’s not even close. 

Widely regarded as one of the best players in program history, Marshall was named the Gainesville Sun’s Defensive Player of the Century back in 1999.

Marshall arrived as a tight end before switching to linebacker, where he was named to three consecutive All-SEC first teams. The Titusville native also received plenty of national recognition, earning two consensus first-team All-American selections while also being named National Defensive Player of the Year in 1983.

By the time his Gators career was over, he amassed 343 tackles, 23 sacks and 58 tackles-for-loss. In 2008, Marshall was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame.

He was later drafted by the Chicago Bears in the first round (11th pick overall) of the 1984 NFL Draft. Marshall went on to be one of the best linebackers in his era, winning two Super Bowls while also earning multiple All-Pro/Pro Bowl selections. Through 12 seasons, Marshall started 153 games, totaling 1,043 tackles, 24 interceptions and 24 forced fumbles.

Jim Yarbrough (1966-1968)

Although he was an offensive tackle at the professional level, Yarbrough showcased his athletic abilities as a tight end at Florida.

He wasn’t only used as a blocker either. The North Carolina native also caught 51 passes for 685 yards and five touchdowns during his time as a Gator. In 1967, he helped lead Florida to their first major bowl win in program history after beating Georgia Tech 27-12 in the Orange Bowl. Yabrbrough was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame, also earning a spot on the Gainesville Sun’s top 100 Gators football players of all time.

Yarbrough was later drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round (47th pick), where he spent all nine seasons of his NFL career.

Kirk Kirkpatrick (1987 to 1990)

If there were a list for best names in program history, Kirkpatrick would also have a spot.

After waiting his turn for three seasons, the Brandon native burst onto the scene as Florida’s top receiver in 1990. Kirkpatrick earned All-SEC and second-team All-American honors while catching a team-leading 55 passes and seven touchdowns.

Kirkpatrick went on to have a brief stint in the NFL before finding success off the field by founding Riverside Recovery, an addiction recovery treatment center.

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