Former Florida LB Carves New Path in College Athletics

Former Florida LB Carves New Path in College Athletics originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

For every college football player, especially those who play in a conference such as the SEC, the ultimate goal is to make it to the NFL. However, only 1.6% of football players who participate at the NCAA level make it to the professional ranks.

The remaining 98.4% of college football players must find a way to make a living for themselves in other ways, and some choose to do so while staying in the sports world. This is something a former Florida Gators linebacker is doing now that his days at UF are over.

Derek Wingo, who played five seasons with the Gators and departed from the team this offseason, announced on Wednesday that he has begun a position as the director of NIL for Rosenhaus Sports Representation.

Wingo was a leader on and off the field during his time in Gainesville. In his career, the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native totaled 71 tackles, seven tackles-for-loss and five sacks in 59 games from 2021-24. Outside of statistics, Wingo helped shape the Florida defense, as he was named a team captain multiple times.

Off the gridiron, Wingo was awarded several honors based on his leadership and community service. In 2023, he was placed on the SEC Student-Athlete Leadership Council, SEC Community Service Team and was a Wuerffel Trophy semifinalist.

"He's got a lot of pride in representing (UF)," Florida head coach Billy Napiersaid last season. "And Derek Wingo, he's going to be successful. I don’t know what path he goes down... but he'll have success in life.” 

It is evident to all those around Wingo that he is exemplary in all facets of life. Now, with longtime sports agent Drew Rosenhaus and the rest of the agency, the former linebacker will have an incredible opportunity to remain in the college sports world in an ever-growing market.

Related: Florida Makes Exciting DJ Lagway Announcement on Tuesday

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.