Category: Gators in NFL

CBS Sports ranks Anthony Richardson among QBs from 5 draft classes

Anthony Richardson was a top-five pick in the 2023 draft, but how does he compare to other quarterbacks drafted over the past five years.

The quarterback position is usually the most talked about during any draft cycle, and with Caleb Williams dominating the headlines ahead of the 2024 draft, CBS Sports is ranking the five most recent QB classes — including this year’s group.

Florida fans only care about the two Gators quarterbacks drafted over the past five years — Anthony Richardson and Kyle Trask — so we’ll cut to the chase. Richardson is ranked No. 13 by writer Chris Trapasso and Trask didn’t make the list as a depth player in Tampa.

Richardson might have more talent than his ranking on this list suggests, but Trapasso notes that he’s hurt by playing in just three games before getting injured as a rookie.

“Richardson probably gets an artificial boost because he hasn’t played, and sometimes not playing is better than playing for the reputation of NFL quarterbacks,” Trapasso wrote. “But this was my QB1 in the 2023 draft, ever-so-slightly ahead of C.J. Stroud. We saw Richardson for 2.5 games, and, after his season-ending shoulder injury, his head coach Shane Steichen nearly got a Gardner Minshew-led Colts club to the playoffs.”

There is plenty of optimism surrounding Richardson, but a weak receiver corps makes for a tough comeback from injury. Trapasso suggests addressing that concern in the draft, but the Colts could go in a different direction.

QBs drafted better than Richardson

Joe Burrow (Bengals), Jordan Love (Packers) and C.J. Stroud (Texans) make for a strong top three, but there’s a surprise in North Carolina’s Drake Maye at No. 4. Caleb Williams will go first overall in this upcoming draft, but Maye might have more talent. Trapasso seems to think so. Rounding out the top five is Justin Herbert of the Chargers.

The rest of the list can be found here.

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Analyzing Ricky Pearsall’s scouting combine performance

Two former Florida Gators were at the 2024 NFL scouting combine over the weekend, and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall performed very well.

Former Florida wide receiver [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] and center [autotag]Kingsley Eguakun[/autotag] participated in the 2024 NFL draft combine over the weekend, and Pearsall was one of the biggest standouts of the entire event

Pearsall finished with a 40-yard dash time of 4.41 seconds, putting him in a three-way tie for the 21st-best time of all combine participants and a tie for ninth-best among receivers.

His 10-yard split was the fourth-worst of any receiver at 1.57 seconds, which means he’s a player who needs to hit his stride to reach top speed. Pearsall made up for that poor showing with a 42-inch vertical, the third-best number among receivers and sixth-best overall. His broad jump of 10 feet 9 inches is in a three-way tie for the seventh-best figure among receivers.

The former Gator finished second overall in the 3-cone drill with a time of 6.64 seconds. Only Georgia cornerback Kamari Lassiter beat him (6.62 seconds). He also finished sixth in the 20-yard shuttle with a time of 4.05 seconds.

The only combine event former Florida center Kingsley Eguakun participated in was the bench press. His 26 reps are good for a three-way share of the 12th-best number among offensive linemen. Pearsall’s 17 reps were tied for seventh-best among receivers.

There should be little doubt left among NFL scouts that Pearsall has some of the best feet and change of direction in the draft pool. NextGen Stats ranked him eighth among wide receivers at the 2024 combine. His total score of 77 was 17th among receivers.

NFL.com gives Pearsall a prospect grade of 6.26, which translates to “will eventually be an average starter,” on a scale where 8.0 is “the perfect prospect.”

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Which former Gators are playing in Super Bowl LVIII?

For the 22nd year in a row, a former Florida Gator will play in the Super Bowl, and two could make history with back-to-back rings.

Now that we know which teams are playing in Super Bowl LVIII, we know which former Florida Gators will be a part of the big game.

Several former Gators have played in (and won) Super Bowls. In fact, this is the 22nd Super Bowl in a row to feature a player who spent his college years in Gainesville. Legendary Dallas Cowboys running back Emmit Smith and linebacker Godfrey Myles both won back-to-back Super Bowls in the early ’90s.

This year, five Gators are a part of the two organizations playing for the Lombardi trophy. Let’s take a look at each of them.

Legendary Florida running back named a Pro Football HOF finalist

In his ninth year of eligibility, former Florida running back Fred Taylor has been named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Legendary Florida running back [autotag]Fred Taylor[/autotag] was named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 on Wednesday.

Although he has been eligible for nine seasons, the 2025 cycle marks the first time Taylor was selected as a finalist.

The selection committee cut the list of 25 semifinalists down to 15 finalists, including Eric Allen, Jared Allen, Willie Anderson, Jahri Evans, Dwight Freeney, Antonio Gates, Rodney Harrison, Devin Hester, Torry Holt, Andre Johnson, Julius Peppers, Reggie Wayne, Darren Woodson and Patrick Willis.

The 2024 Hall of Fame Class will be inducted on Feb. 8. After that, the committee will reconvene and cut the list of finalists down to 10 players, then five. Once the five players have been selected for consideration, the committee votes, with players needing 80% or more to vote in their favor.

Taylor won a national championship in 1996 as a member of Steve Spurrier’s Florida Gators. He spent three seasons in Gainesville, totaling 3,075 yards and 31 touchdowns on 537 carries.

Taylor left Florida in 1998 for the NFL draft. The Jacksonville Jaguars selected him with the ninth overall pick, and he stayed there for 11 of his 13 seasons in the pros. He ranks 17th all-time in career rushing yards.

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Former Florida DB waived by Arizona, claimed by New England

Arizona released former Florida defensive back Marco Wilson in the third year of his rookie contract, but New England has claimed him off waivers.

The Arizona Cardinals released former Florida defensive back [autotag]Marco Wilson[/autotag] on Tuesday, and the New England Patriots quickly claimed him off waivers on Wednesday, according to Adam Schefter.

Wilson’s snap count decreased significantly until he was removed from the cornerback rotation and put into a special teams role in Week 12. Although he was never elite, Wilson showed improvement from Year 1 to Year 2 in the NFL.

Pro Football Focus gave him a 48.6 overall defensive grade over nearly 800 snaps as a rookie, and he jumped up to a 55.2 in 2022. Wilson’s 2023 defensive grade on PFF currently sits at 41.2 — a career low. A significant dropoff in coverage and as a pass rusher has hurt him more than improving as a tackler and run defender has helped.

Still, there seems to be a future for Wilson in the NFL. Although no team was willing to trade for him, Bill Belichick and the Patriots claimed him, which means they are on the hook for his contract through next season. J.C. Jackson recently went on the non-football illness list last week, but this could end up being more than just a depth addition for New England.

The former Gator leaves the Cardinals with 158 career tackles, three forced fumbles and three interceptions.

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Kyle Trask could start against Carolina Panthers this weekend

Could Kyle Trask get his first NFL start on Sunday? Unlikely but not impossible.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are facing attrition under center. An injury has threatened to sideline the team’s starting quarterback, Baker Mayfield. The recent events may have cleared the path for former Florida football quarterback [autotag]Kyle Trask[/autotag] to get his first career NFL start.

With a little over nine minutes on the clock in the first quarter last week against the Indianapolis Colts, Mayfield ran a QB sneak from the 1-yard line, but he was slow to get up after. He was seen limping off the field following the play.

Trask, who has been in Tampa Bay for the last three seasons and studied under Tom Brady for two, threw an incomplete pass to wide receiver Chris Godwin but the drive still resulted in a field goal. Mayfield then returned to action afterward.

The Bucs ultimately lost the game, 27-20.

“(Mayfield is) pretty sore,” Bowles said during a press conference Monday. “The MRI was negative. He has a sore ankle. We’ll see how he’s feeling during the week, but it came out negative so that’s a good thing.”

It seems unlikely that Trask will get the call on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, but the possibility remains that head coach Todd Bowles will want to give his QB1 a breather against an underwhelming Carolina squad. It is likely a game-day decision.

The Bucs host the Panthers inside Raymond James Stadium on Dec. 3 with a start time of 4:05 p.m. ET. The game will be carried on CBS.

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Former Gators QB Anthony Richardson schedules surgery, out for season

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is scheduling a season-ending shoulder surgery after sustaining injury in Week 5.

The 2023 NFL season is over for former Florida Gator and Indianapolis Colts quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag].

NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday morning that the Colts rookie is scheduling a season-ending surgery on his left shoulder. Head coach Shane Steichen told reporters that he trusts his multiple medical officials to make the right decision and every official agreed upon the surgery.

The injury was officially listed as a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder.

Steichen was fairly impressed with how Richardson’s performances went, despite multiple injuries sidelining him early.

“I thought when he played, he was explosive and he was electric,” Steichen said. “He gives us an opportunity every time he steps on the field — just his big-play ability, throwing the ball downfield, the runs he had, the touchdown runs. There is tremendous opportunity going forward.”

Richardson finishes the year with 577 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception while completing 59.5% of his throws. The former Gator ran for 136 yards while using his feet to find the endzone four times.

The Indianapolis Colts will start veteran backup Gardner Minshew in Richardson’s place. The Colts take on the Cleveland Browns at home this Sunday at 1 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast on CBS Sports.

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Anthony Richardson on IR after suffering shoulder injury

The Indianapolis Colts put former Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson on injured reserve this week following a shoulder injury on Sunday.

Former Florida and current Indianapolis Colts quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] will be on the shelf for at least the next month.

The Colts placed the fourth overall pick in the most recent draft on injured reserve Wednesday, meaning Richardson will miss at least four weeks following an AC joint injury suffered on Sunday.

The Athletic is reporting that Richardson is likely to miss between four and eight weeks. He could require surgery. If Richardson stays out for the full two months, his expected return would come in Week 14 against Cincinnati on the road. Gardner Minshew is expected to start in place of Richardson, and Kellen Mond has been signed to the practice squad.

Through four games — Richardson missed Week 3 with a concussion —the former Florida signal-caller has completed 50 of 84 pass attempts (59.5%) for 577 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. He’s also accumulated 136 yards and four scores on the ground, making him a viable fantasy starter.

It’s hard to view this as anything but a setback for Richardson and the Colts, which just got running back Jonathan Taylor back with the team. Indianapolis’ offense won’t be whole until the end of the season, but it could be too late by then.

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Former Gators WR Van Jefferson joins another UF alumnus after trade

Former Gators WR Van Jefferson gets traded to the Atlanta Falcons

A former Florida Gators wide receiver found a new home in the NFL after being traded from the Los Angeles Rams. Atlanta Falcons newcomer Van Jefferson will reunite him with another former Gator, tight end Kyle Pitts.

Jefferson became lost in the depth chart this season with the rise of Los Angeles wideout Puka Nacua and the recent return of starting receiver Cooper Kupp.

Since the combination of the two looks like a formula for success, Jefferson only saw two snaps during Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The fourth-year NFL veteran has only been targeted 15 times in 2023.

Jefferson wasn’t a priority in the Rams playbook, but he may have a bright future to headline the Falcons’ receiving corps with Pitts.

Atlanta found a way to get Pitts more involved in the offense last Sunday and rookie running back Bijan Robinson has been dangerous so far. The Falcons are slowly building pieces to create a fast-paced offense, especially with mobile quarterback Desmond Ridder.

Pitts and Jefferson will play together for the first time since the 2019 college football season.

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Winners and Losers: Week 5 roundup of Florida Gators in the NFL

Take a look at how former Florida Gators played in the NFL, including an overdue performance from Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts.

There are 29 active NFL players who attended the University of Florida and 24 of them have a starting job this season.

Week 5 saw a lot of success and letdowns from Gators across the league, including Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts and speedy Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney.

Quarterback Anthony Richardson has been having trouble staying on the field with the Indianapolis Colts, getting injured for the third time in four starts. Meanwhile, down in Tampa Bay, quarterback Kyle Trask is learning and sitting behind Baker Mayfield.

There were plenty of individual winners and losers in the NFL last week, but let’s take a look at the best and worst performances of Florida Gators in the NFL.