Vernon Hargreaves named to 2026 UF Athletic Hall of Fame class

Vernon Hargreaves III was one of the most accomplished defensive backs in Florida Gators history. Tuesday, his alma mater rewarded him for his efforts on the football field.

Hargreaves, a two-time All-American cornerback from Tampa, Fla, will be inducted into the UF Athletic Hall of Fame this fall as part of the 2026 class, the school has announced.

Per a UF release, “eligible just 10 years after completing his Gator career, Hargreaves earns the rare distinction of a first-ballot selection, a testament to his impact on Florida athletics.”

Hargreaves’s list of achievements at UF is a long one.

He played for the Gators from 2013-15 and was a first-team All-SEC selection as a cornerback for the Gators each year. Additionally, he was twice selected as a first-team All-American.

With the Gators, Hargreaves started 35 games over three seasons, finishing with 121 tackles, three tackles for loss, 10 interceptions, 28 pass breakups and one forced fumble.

The release also noted that “Hargreaves was named a Third-Team All-American by the Associated Press, National Defensive Player of the Year by College Football News, First-Team Freshman All-America by numerous outlets and First-Team All-SEC during his first year on campus. During his sophomore campaign, he was named a semifinalist for both the Chuck Bednarik Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy, and was also named one of three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award during his junior year.”

Vernon Hargreaves was a first-round draft pick

After college, Hargreaves’s was the 11th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his hometown team. He played six NFL seasons, totaling 290 tackles (245 solo), 31 pass breakups and four interceptions.

Hargreaves will be joined by the other seven honorees as Gator Greats at the UF Hall of Fame Banquet on Oct. 9, 2026. That week, the Gators play South Carolina in their homecoming game. Gator Greats are are defined as letter winners “who brought recognition and prominence to the University of Florida and themselves by their athletic accomplishments as a student-athlete,” according to the release announcing Hargreaves’ induction into the Hall of Fame.