Colin Thompson was expected to offer another dimension to Florida’s tight end group in 2012 before a foot injury derailed his season before it began.
Now healthy, Thompson has impressed coach Will Muschamp early in fall camp.
“I think Colin Thompson’s done some nice things for us — blocking from a point (and in) the passing game,” Muschamp said Monday. “We’ve improved from where we were from the spring, and that’s what you want to do is take a step forward from where you were.
“I think certainly we’ve taken some positive steps from spring at this point.”
Thompson, who was rated the nation’s No. 2 tight end by ESPN and Scout.com coming out of high school, underwent surgery in the spring of 2012 and was expected to miss the first 10 days of preseason practice.
Instead, he was forced to go under the knife a second time, having a screw inserted into his right foot to help repair a fractured bone last August. He eventually earned a medical redshirt after missing the entire season.
Thompson enters 2013 as one of five scholarship tight ends on UF’s roster. The group will compete to fill the role vacated by Jordan Reed, who was selected by the Washington Redskins in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
Replacing Reed is critical for Florida’s offense. Reed caught 45 passes for 559 yards in 2012 — each led the team — and hauled in three touchdowns while serving as the primary security blanket for Jeff Driskel.
Given that Florida’s group of wide receivers continues to be a work-in-progress, the Gators are searching aggressively for a tight end that can become Driskel’s main safety valve.
“Jordan Reed was a big-time player for us; He’s a great athlete,” Driskel said at UF’s media day. “You don’t really find a player like him too much, but we do have a couple of guys who have stepped up over the summer, and I’m excited to see them moving forward.”
Driskel singled out Thompson as someone he hopes will continue to progress.
“Colin Thompson finally seems to be healthy,” Driskel said, “so (I am) really excited to see where he’s at.”
Similar to the receiving corps, Florida’s tight ends have nothing resembling a track record of success. Of the five scholarship tight ends, only two — Kent Taylor and Clay Burton — have caught passes during their college career. Neither has more than two receptions.
The group also includes Tevin Westbrook, who did not record a reception while playing in 13 games last season after switching from defensive end to tight end before the year, and Trevon Young, a last-minute addition to Florida’s most recent recruiting class who played only two years of high school football.
Muschamp said during media day he has yet to see a tight end establish the ability to block on the edge and stretch the field vertically.
Thompson, listed at 6-foot-3 and 252 pounds, is no longer dealing with the effects of a gimpy right foot and could progress into the dual threat Muschamp and second-year offensive coordinator Brent Pease desire.
“It’s a big competition [at tight end],” Driskel said. “Someone’s really going to have to step up and emerge.”
Contact Phil Heilman at pheilman@alligator.org.
Junior tight end Jordan Reed dives for a few extra yards during the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. Florida has five scholarship tight ends who will look to replace Reed this season.
