The UF football team kicks off its season on Sept. 1 at 7:30 p.m. The Alligator's football writers — Mark Stine, Alanis Thames, Morgan McMullen and Jake Dreilinger — debate who will have the biggest breakout season on the team.
Mark: Brandon Powell was the security blanket in the receiving corps for Florida in 2017. He averaged fewer than 10 yards a catch but caught 20 more balls (42) than his teammate with the second-most receptions (Tyrie Cleveland).
This season, Mississippi transfer Van Jefferson will be the Gators’ go-to target. He finished second for the Rebels in receptions each of the last two seasons, racking up more than 40 grabs in 2016 and 2017, and I predict he’ll lead the Gators in balls caught this year.
“He understands the little intricacies and he’s an attention-to-detail guy,” said UF receivers coach Billy Gonzales. “If you talk to him, he takes it really, really personal.”
Jefferson’s attention to detail makes him one of Florida’s best route runners. Fellow transfer Trevon Grimes, who joined Florida after his freshman season at Ohio State, said that Jefferson has shown how to get in and out of breaks and run smoother routes.
Granted, he has not been a big-play receiver. Jefferson only has four touchdown receptions in his two years at Ole Miss, mostly because he’s been limited to playing in the slot. However, his size -- at 6-foot-2 and nearly 200 pounds -- will allow him to play a receiving position in addition to his specialized slot role.
Alanis: Malik Davis gave us a glimpse of what he can do with his movements and decision-making during his freshman outing. But his breakout campaign happens this year.
Davis was leading the Gators in rushing before suffering a knee injury against Georgia on Oct. 28, which sidelined him for the rest of the season. But he managed 6.7 yards per carry for 526 yards in an offense that finished 13th in the SEC.
Although redshirt-junior Jordan Scarlett will likely start as the No. 1 guy for the Gators, Davis will put up big numbers as Florida works him into the offense.
If the sophomore returns completely healthy, he could emerge as not only the Gators’ premier back, but one of the most explosive in the SEC.
As he grows more confident in taking hits, he’ll start to take time away from other backs, including Scarlett and junior Lamical Perine.
Davis hasn’t appeared to be hindered by the knee injury so far in camp.
“Once I got my first tackle, my first hit, first couple runs, I felt back,” Davis said. “I felt like myself.”
The year of experience he now has will make him the Gators’ most productive runner in their already deep arsenal.
Morgan: The DBU moniker is for real. The hype and expectations surrounding every defensive back who plays in The Swamp are for real.
Cornerback Trey Dean is also for real. His teammates have talked him up all throughout spring camp as perhaps the best young defensive back of UF’s haul through signing day. Dean spurned Alabama in order to play a potentially huge role in Florida’s secondary. Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said over the course of the offseason that he wants to use a heavy rotation among corners, so CJ Henderson and Marco Wilson won’t be taking as many snaps as they did last season.
That means more opportunities for younger players.
“He’s grown a lot since spring, learning the defense a lot better and he’s very competitive,” Wilson said. “I love that about him."
Dean signed with Florida despite not knowing who the defensive backs coach was during his official visit. It shows either a dedication to the philosophy that UF is offering or a desire to make an impact immediately. Either way, Dean stands to have a presence during the early season.
There’s also the fact that Dean is the tallest cornerback on the roster at 6-foot-3. If he plays anything like how Henderson and Wilson did last season, the Gators could find that they have the best defensive backfield in the nation.
Jake: A calm Marco Wilson strutted into Tuesday’s Florida football media session with a confidence that would make Bugs Bunny jealous.
He stood surrounded by roughly 20 reporters answering questions both about himself and the team in general. Then he got to the last question.
What’s the biggest difference between this year and last year?
“I’m a lot smarter,” Wilson said. “Also, I’m a lot bigger from last year too.”
Fresh off his freshman campaign in which he recorded 34 tackles, the Gators cornerback is due for a breakout season.
Why? Well it’s simple. He started building muscle in the offseason through strength and conditioning coach Nick Savage’s new program. He added 13 pounds to his frame, going from 177 to 190. Add his 6-foot-even height to the mix, Wilson has the body size to be a gamechanger for the Gators.
As for what he can do on the field, Wilson showed promise in his first season. While he failed to intercept the ball last year, the corner did break up a team-high 10 passes. To compare, Florida’s other corner, CJ Henderson, had four interceptions but only broke up four passes.
With his size, Wilson has the potential to increase his production on the field. But with the smarts, Wilson believes he can do a whole lot more and breakout this season.
“It gives me different opportunities to do different things. It gives me more opportunities to make plays.”
Florida running back Malik Davis was leading the Gators in rushing last season before an injury sidelined him for the rest of the year.
