In the short time he’s been at Florida, freshman wide receiver Antonio Callaway has built a reputation as a big-play threat.
Against Kentucky on Saturday, Callaway made a highlight reel catch in the second quarter, snaring a Will Grier pass with one hand and taking it 34 yards.
It’s these glimpses of his ability that made Callaway a recruit sought after by head coach Jim McElwain.
"I’m sure glad he’s a Gator," McElwain said. "We knew that when we recruited him. You’re going to see more and more get-it-tos for him as he still kind of learns and does things."
Callaway didn’t have much time to get acclimated in McElwain’s offense, not arriving on campus until this Summer.
But it didn’t take him long to start making his presence felt.
Just before Fall camp, wide receiver Brandon Powell said at Southeastern Conference Media Days that Callaway was one of the freshmen that stood out to him during player-run workouts.
Callaway hasn’t stopped impressing those around him as he’s learned the playbook.
And now, in practices leading up to games, defensive backs like Marcus Maye have noticed what he brings to the table.
"For him to be just getting here in the Summer and coming along so fast, he’s doing a great job," Maye said. "In practice he runs all the routes hard, comes out in his breaks and catches the majority of balls that comes his way. He’s back at punt return, kick return, you know just put him anywhere and make plays."
Callaway comes from a winning pedigree at the high school level. An integral part of Miami’s Booker T. Washington high school team last year, he led the Tornadoes to the 2014 Class 4A state title as a senior. The 5-foot-11 wideout was a big play threat, netting 31 catches for 818 yards — a 26.4 yards per catch average — and seven touchdowns en route to being named to the 2014 Class 4A All-State First Team.
He’s continued that trend this year for the Gators, starting each of the first three games. While he doesn’t have eye-popping numbers, his versatility has been on display.
Callaway has four catches for 60 yards and two rushing attempts totaling 17 yards. He’s also taken over as the Gators’ primary punt returner, replacing Vernon Hargreaves III after the cornerback missed the East Carolina game with a leg injury.
In the two games he’s been returning punts, he’s averaged 15.5 yards per return, good enough for 23rd in the nation.
He’s even drawn comparisons to an NFL Pro Bowler from his teammate and fellow wide receiver Ahmad Fulwood.
"I tell him all the time he reminds me of Antonio Brown," Fulwood said. "He won’t jump out of the gym (and) blow by you with speed but the guy knows how to play football. He’ll do things you’ve never seen before. He’s a great player and will have a great career."
Combine his work ethic on the practice field with his attention to detail and ability to fix his mistakes, and it’s no surprise that he’s quickly become one of McElwain’s favorites. Florida’s first-year coach sees the sky as the limit for Callaway.
"You can see his study. When you’re in practice, he doesn’t take a play off," McElwain observed. "He’s going to make a mistake here and there in practice but he wants to correct it. It’s important to him."
"And this team’s important to him. Yeah, I kinda like No. 81."
Follow Luis Torres on Twitter @LFTorresIII
UF wide receiver Antonio Callaway celebrates with teammates after Demarcus Robinson scores a touchdown during Florida's 31-24 win against East Carolina on Sept. 12, 2015, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
