It’s hard to imagine a 6-foot-6-inch and 356-pound offensive lineman excelling in a sport besides basketball, weightlifting or wrestling. But Florida offensive guard Joshua Braun defied the odds. He qualified for the 2019 FHSAA Class 2A State Quarterfinals in the individual doubles section. The sport taught him how to be quick on his feet that helped him see playing time as a freshman.
His father also helped him because he was his high school’s offensive coordinator that allowed him to arrive on campus technically sound. Because of these factors and his playing time last season, Braun will be critical for the Gators’ success in 2021.
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Florida needs the offensive line to take a step forward in the running game this season. The key pieces to its aerial attack like quarterback Kyle Trask, wide receiver Kadarius Toney and tight end Kyle Pitts will play on Sundays instead of Saturdays now in the NFL. The Gators also have a new quarterback in Emory Jones that vastly varies from Trask’s style. Because of these losses, coach Dan Mullen will transform his offense to become more run-oriented.
The offensive line unit has seen a dropoff in yards per carry since Florida’s 10-year high in 2018. It fell to 4.29 in 2020 from 5.27 when Mullen first arrived.
Braun can help the Gators improve in this area because his high school football team concentrated on running the ball, and that’s one of his biggest strengths as an offensive lineman. He’ll also be valuable because he’s flexible. Braun is built like a tall guard but has experience at tackle to swing out there if there is an injury.
If Florida wants to have another successful season like 2020, it needs its offensive line unit to improve its run blocking ability. Braun could be a key piece that helps the Gators accomplish that.
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