Eric Singleton Jr. Explains Ditching Auburn Tigers To Join Buster Faulkner at Florida

The addition of Eric Singleton Jr. to first-year head coach Jon Sumrall’s Florida squad created as much excitement as any newcomer for the program. Following the shift from the Billy Napier era to Sumrall’s leadership, the Gators are aiming for a rebound season, with contributors like Singleton expected to play a big role in that turnaround.

Why Eric Singleton Jr. Left Auburn to Reunite With Buster Faulkner at Florida

After spending two seasons at Georgia Tech under offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, Singleton opted to transfer to Auburn ahead of the 2025 season, and he has now reunited with Faulkner at Florida for 2026. He chose to return for another year at the college level, feeling he “has a lot more to prove.”

Singleton initially started preparing for the NFL Draft, but familiarity and strong relationships ultimately drew him to Florida instead. He said Faulkner was a key reason he transferred.

“It was a tough decision,” Singleton said. “I don’t know, I just wasn’t really satisfied with how my last season went. I feel like I have a lot more to prove. Me and Buster, it’s a very tight connection. Even when I declared [for the draft], he kept emphasizing to me on still having a chance to come back to Florida.

“He knows how to use me, especially with the two years I have under his wing at Georgia Tech. He knows what I’m good at, and what are some of my weaknesses. So that played a factor.”

In his two seasons at Georgia Tech in Faulkner’s system, Singleton recorded 104 receptions for 1,468 yards and 9 touchdowns, earning FWAA Freshman All-American honors in 2023. More importantly, he developed a deep understanding of Faulkner’s offensive philosophy, which is an advantage he believes will pay immediate dividends in Gainesville.

“It’s a big advantage to me to play under their wing,” Singleton said on Wednesday. “I know what they want to see out of us on the field.”

Singleton has a catch in every game of his college career (36), and Sumrall has described him as “a home-run threat” all the time. Meanwhile, Faulkner has gone even further, calling Singleton “one of the smarter players” he has ever coached.

Singleton is now showing potential for his upcoming season at Florida, as he reportedly hit 23 mph in team speed drills in the offseason. After stepping away from the draft and betting on himself for one more collegiate season, he has a clear message he wants to send from the spring game:

“I want them to say at the end of the day, ‘Eric Singleton is explosive.'”

As for his single season at Auburn in 2025, Singleton played and started at wide receiver in all 12 games, totaling a team-high 58 catches for 534 yards and 3 touchdowns. He ranked tied for eighth in the SEC in receptions and finished the season with a 77 score in the PFSN College Football WR Impact Metric.