Wide receiver Jacob Copeland was one of Florida’s top signees in coach Dan Mullen‘s 2018 class. However, he didn’t earn as many opportunities as he would have liked his first two seasons because of the depth of the Gators’ receiving room. He sat behind Ole Miss and Ohio State transfers Van Jefferson and Trevon Grimes in 2018 and 2019.
After Jefferson and other veteran receivers like Tyrie Cleveland, Freddie Swain and Josh Hammond departed for the NFL, Copeland finally earned a starting spot. He hauled in 23 catches with 435 yards and three touchdowns in 2020. His 18.91 yards per catch last season led the team. With Grimes, wide receiver Kadarius Toney and tight end Kyle Pitts gone, Copeland has the opportunity to prove that he’s ready for the NFL.
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Most college football fans likely only remember Copeland because of what occurred during his National Signing Day ceremony in 2018. He chose Florida instead of Alabama or Tennessee. His mother stormed out of the gymnasium displeased with his son’s college choice. If Copeland breaks out this season, the college football world will forget about that incident.
New quarterback and fellow class of 2018 signee Emory Jones will rely on Copeland heavily because of the departure of Pitts, Toney and Grimes. He’s the only starting wideout to return. His teammates Justin Shorter, Xzavier Henderson and Trent Whittemore were the only other receivers to see a significant amount of snaps last season.
If Copeland can stay consistent with his numbers and drop fewer passes, the NFL scouts could consider him a high draft choice in 2022. If not, Gators fans could see him in the Orange and Blue for another season or two.
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