While much has deservedly been made about the skill of the seniors, Jim McElwain knows Florida’s remarkable 10-3 record this season couldn’t have been possible without the progression and subsequent contributions of the team’s underclassmen.
One of the more notable players to step up this year for the Gators was linebacker Jarrad Davis, and it would have been understandable if he opted to test his luck by leaving early for the NFL Draft.
But any notion that Davis would capitalize on his notable season was dismissed after Saturday’s 29-15 loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference title game when he confirmed he planned on returning to UF for his senior year.
"We’ve got the best recruit this class could ever have," McElwain said about Davis opting to come back for another year. "He is a special player … that’s great news."
Davis’ return will boost a linebacker rotation that will surely miss the presence of senior Antonio Morrison, whose return from a devastating injury to start every game and lead UF with 97 tackles has given the team a figure on which to model not only their development but also their level of dedication.
Now that Davis has tempered fears he would depart early, there aren’t many players who could surprise by opting to consult the NFL for a grade.
Besides Vernon Hargreaves III, who has been forthcoming for months about his intention to receive an assessment from the NFL of his stock, it’s unknown if any Florida players intend on filing paperwork with the league.
But just because a player consults the league for an opinion on potential draft position doesn’t mean they’re a lock to leave the Gators early.
If a player were to receive an evaluation with a lower rating than expected, he may opt to return to the university for another season.
There’s a strong possibility that several UF players capitalize on that opportunity — the chance to receive an assessment of their skills from a potential NFL employer while still enrolled in school.
Junior running back Kelvin Taylor is a strong candidate to make the leap after breaking out in the backfield this season.
Taylor needed just 23 yards in Saturday’s game to become the ninth UF running back to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a season, but fell short with just eight yards against the Crimson Tide.
And despite off-the-field issues that resulted in his suspension for the Florida State game, Demarcus Robinson would presumably have upside in the NFL with his 6-foot-1 frame and UF-leading 47 receptions.
McElwain said that if a player were to receive a glowing recommendation, he would feel out of place discouraging him from capitalizing on an opportunity to live out the dream.
"I'm a guy, by no means, that’s going to try and talk them in or out of that. Everybody’s different, everybody has a something else going on," McElwain said. "I do know this, if they’re in the first round, that’s something you really gotta look at, and the thing that I think they don’t understand sometimes is the difference between those early round signing bonus and in the later rounds. In some cases it’s better for them to maybe come back and try to help their status."
But Robinson said he isn’t thinking of the NFL — at least not yet.
The taste of recent defeat served first by Florida State and then Alabama is still fresh, having soured the tongues of UF players salivating for a dessert to top off their sweet season – a trip to the College Football Playoff.
"Of course I’m not satisfied," Robinson said. "I mean, I definitely could’ve made more plays. I feel like I could’ve been a benefit to my team more, especially in this game. We didn’t lose too many games though."
Robinson said he plans to talk to his family and coaches before making a decision, but with unfinished business on his mind, it’s possible the Gators could return four of their five leading receiving options.
Although the contributions of players like Taylor, Robinson and Hargreaves will surely be missed by McElwain and Gator fans alike, the end of the regular season means the Gators are preparing for the start of the next.
With the No. 9 recruiting class in the nation according to 247Sports’ ranking, UF is in a favorable position to reload and build depth across the board.
Most notably, the quarterback position — an area in which Florida visibly struggled in the latter half of the season due to facing tough opposition combined with the lack of progression, signaling regression, for sophomore Treon Harris — could see a significant upgrade.
The Gators received a commitment from four-star quarterback Feleipe Franks and are in the running for five-star signal caller Jacob Eason, who told his hometown paper he intends to decide between Georgia — where he’s been committed since after his sophomore season, yet has wavered in the wake of coach Mark Richt’s removal — and the Gators.
With National Signing Day less than two months away, McElwain is already on the road recruiting the next Gators to uphold the responsibility of continuing UF’s regained status as competitors at both the conference and national levels.
But for the next month, the team is focused on facing Michigan and the opportunity it gives players to continue improving.
"I look at this bowl opportunity and practice (as a chance) to really help your team get better," McElwain said, "Not only for this ball game but for the long-term future."
Follow Graham Hall on Twitter @Graham311
UF linebacker Jarrad Davis tackles Florida State running back Dalvin Cook during Florida's 27-2 loss on Nov. 28, 2015, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
