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Florida enters the 2021 season with a lot of talent to replace, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The Gators lost starting quarterback Kyle Trask and his top three receivers, and the offense could look a lot different with Emory Jones under center in 2021.
The recruiting may be lagging behind a bit for UF, but coach Dan Mullen has made good use of the transfer portal to fill roster holes during his time in Gainesville. One of the players he brought in this year, former Clemson running back Demarkcus Bowman, ranks 14th on ESPN’s list of the top newcomers in college football.
Bowman, who signed with the Tigers as the No. 23 prospect overall in the 2020 class, entered the transfer portal in October, so he didn’t have much time to see the field at Clemson. Bowman missed some time with Florida in the spring due to an injury, but should be fully healthy for the season. With Florida replacing Kyle Trask under center, the offense is going to need a consistent run game. Adding Bowman to the running backs room that includes Dameon Pierce, Malik Davis, Nay’Quan Wright and Lorenzo Lingard means Florida has plenty of options in the backfield.
Bowman is certainly a talented player, but it’s hard to judge exactly how much of an impact he will have in 2021 due to how crowded Florida’s backcourt is. If seniority rules, Pierce and Davis would see the most carries, but Wright also impressed as a redshirt freshman in 2020.
Lingard is another former five-star transfer from Miami, but he only saw five carries in 2020 and seems to be falling behind the rest of the group. Bowman will certainly see some action in 2021, but he may not be UF’s feature back. To find a newcomer who could have an immediate impact, you have to go a bit further down the list.