It’s hard to gauge exactly which receiver will be the best in the SEC with three months left in the offseason, but Florida’s [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] figures to be one of the top returning pass catchers in the conference.
Pro Football Focus gave Pearsall an offensive grade of 80.3 for the 2022 season, which ranks third among returning receivers in the SEC. Georgia’s Dominic Lovett (83.8) and Arkansas’ Andrew Armstrong (82.9) finished ahead of him.
Of course, looking at the grades of returning players doesn’t paint the entire picture. There are rising sophomores set to take the next step, such as Tennessee’s Squirrel White and Texas A&M’s Evan Stewart. LSU’s Malik Nabers might be the favorite to land on top of the conference now that Kayshon Boutte is out of the picture.
Highest graded returning WRs in the SEC♨️ pic.twitter.com/eb3dE5K8RT
— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 29, 2023
Pearsall should be Florida’s top option on most pass plays in 2023. The Arizona State transfer hauled in 33 receptions for 661 yards and six total touchdowns in 2022 for the Gators.
Last year’s No. 1, Justin Shorter, got drafted by the Buffalo Bills, and the other starter, Xzavier Henderson, recently announced his transfer to the University of Cincinnati. Redshirt sophomore Marcus Burke and sophomore Caleb Douglas are the favorites to start at the other receiver spots.
If Graham Mertz (or Jack Miller III) can find Pearsall consistently, he should be able to be a top-five receiver in the conference with ease.
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