When Antonio Callaway took the practice field for the first time during Fall camp, his teammates knew there was something special about him.
"The first day he was out here, we were out there doing seven-on-sevens and he was catching the ball, making moves and I was like, ‘Oh yeah, this guy’s gonna be good,’" wide receiver Brandon Powell said.
Now, after Saturday night’s performance, the rest of us know, too.
Callaway, a freshman, was the hero of Florida’s come-from-behind 28-27 victory over Tennessee, taking the fourth down pass from quarterback Will Grier and turning up the sidelines for the eventual 63-yard game-winning touchdown.
The catch was easy enough, but the speed and vision to cut to the outside and streak toward the end zone are what future stars are made of.
At least that's what his team believes about him.
"My little brother, Callaway, just made a hell of a play, man," Grier said after the game.
"That guy has just stepped up and is making a lot of plays.
"He turned that first down into a touchdown. Big players make big plays in big games like that."
Tight end Jake McGee agreed.
"He showed his skills I think you’ll see for a long time to come here," McGee said.
Callaway’s talent didn’t just show up on that play.
The freshman had a team-leading 112 yards receiving in the game on five catches, second only to Demarcus Robinson’s six.
Those skills haven’t been limited to Saturday night, either.
A week ago at Kentucky, Callaway made a sensational one-handed grab in the middle of the field, never slowed down and proceeded to pick up an additional 10 yards after the catch.
To make it even more impressive, instead of grabbing the tip of the ball — which is easier and more common — he caught the middle, fat part.
His teammates were incensed that the play didn’t make the SportsCenter Top 10 Plays list.
"That definitely should have been on there," tight end DeAndre Goolsby said.
"That catch was crazy. I was honestly at a loss for words."
Through four games this season, Callaway has nine catches for 172 yards and the one touchdown against the Volunteers.
While that might not sound impressive, consider this: the last time Florida had a freshman receiver catch more than 20 passes for 200 yards was when Percy Harvin caught 34 passes for 427 yards in 2006.
That obviously worked out well for the Gators down the road.
With eight games remaining plus a potential bowl game, it’s almost a guarantee that Callaway will be able to surpass Harvin’s freshman yard mark.
And with the expanded role Callaway will likely see after his recent performance, his production could near Harvin’s mark he set in his freshman year.
That would be a big deal for Florida, a program that has struggled to find reliable playmakers over the past few seasons.
One thing, though, is certain: big things are expected of the freshman receiver’s future, and we may have just seen a glimpse of the type of potential he has.
It's up to Callaway to prove he has the talent and work ethic to be special.
"We knew there was something special in this kid when we started recruiting him and I think he’s proving that," McElwain said.
"And it’s still I don’t think really scratched the surface. He’s still learning how to play."
Follow Graham Hack on Twitter @graham_hack24
UF wide receiver Antonio Callaway returns a punt during Florida's 28-27 win against Tennessee on Sept. 26, 2015, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
