The Florida Gators are losing another piece of its secondary this offseason with safety [autotag]Rashad Torrence II[/autotag]’s declaring for the NFL draft on Thursday.
Torrence took to Twitter to break the news to Gator Nation, thanking his family, coaches and fans for their support.
“First and foremost I want to thank my family for their love, support and sacrifice,” Torrence wrote. “I also want to thank the University of Florida for the amazing experience these past three years. The knowledge gained and lessons learned will last a lifetime.
“To be taught under the tutelage of two great head coaches, (Dan) Mullen and (Billy) Napier, I am forever grateful. My coaches, (Todd) Grantham, (Ron) English, (Wesley McGriff) CrimeDawg, and (Patrick) Toney have prepared me for this moment. Last but definitely not least, thank you to the LOYAL Gator fans that have supported me from day 1. Since I was 6 years old, my dream has been to play collegiate football and I can’t think of a better place to play than The Swamp.
“With all things considered, my ultimate goal is to play in the NFL on Sundays. After much prayer and guidance, I’ve decided to forgo my senior season, trust God’s plan for my life and enter the 2023 NFL Draft.”
Forever Florida đ§Ąđđâźď¸ #DeuceDeuce out pic.twitter.com/l09ufsQ4o6
— Rashad Torrence ll ⢠(@boss_athlete) December 30, 2022
Pro Football Focus gave Torrence a defensive grade of 73.9 for the season, with his best game coming against South Carolina (90.2). He was one of Florida’s stronger tacklers throughout the 2022 season but struggled in coverage as the season went on.
Torrence leaves Florida with 196 total tackles (111 solo) over 34 games. He also recorded 3.5 tackles for a loss and nabbed three interceptions while forcing a fumble and recovering a pair of loose balls.
Sports Illustrated gave Torrence a 7th-round grade with the possibility of going undrafted. A strong pro day and/or combine performance could help boost his stock considerably.
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