Quartet of Florida football freshmen earn All-SEC honors

These four Gators represent the future of Florida football.

The Southeastern Conference announced its Freshman All-SEC team on Thursday afternoon, which included four Florida football players.

Wide receiver [autotag]Eugene Wilson[/autotag], edge defenders [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag] and [autotag]TJ Searcy[/autotag], and safety [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag] were among the listed names, giving the Gators a quartet of first-year standouts for the first time since 2012.

The All-SEC team was decided upon by the conference’s coaches.

Wilson, who is the most explosive athlete on the list, finished the season with 61 catches for 538 yards — both of which were second on the team to senior wideout Ricky Pearsall — along with a team-high six touchdowns through the air.

He also set the Florida single-game freshman record with 11 receptions against then-No. 1 Georgia in Jacksonville at the end of October. Wilson also earned the Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Week award after the Arkansas game.

Collins recorded 23 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and sacks, four quarterback hurries, a pass breakup and a forced fumble in 12 games as a freshman in Gainesville. His presence on the defensive line was key at times for a corps that suffered a great deal of attrition.

Similarly, Searcy also added depth to the D-line making a dozen appearances himself. He finished the fall with 26 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.

Finally, Castell broke out early in his Gators tenure, emerging as starting-level talent for the team during preseason practice and providing much-needed talent in a disappointing defensive backfield.

He appeared in all 12 games with 11 starts and was Pro Football Focus’ highest-rated run defender among qualified players. Castell was named SEC Freshman of the Week and Shaun Alexander award after the Gators’ Week 3 victory against then-No. 11 Tennessee.

The Gator Nation will have to wait until the Orange and Blue game to see the team back in action. That intrasquad exhibition will take place inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium sometime this coming spring with a date and time yet to be announced.

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Twitter reacts to crucial Jordan Castell interception against Arkansas

Here’s how the Twitter-verse reacted to the Jordan Castell interception in the first quarter.

The Florida Gators are battling the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday afternoon in a tight offensive tug-of-war.

The Razorbacks took an early, 14-0, advantage after a smooth opening drive and a well-executed strip that was taken back to the house. Although the Gators are starting to climb back and tied the game up at 14 points, both touchdowns were scored by a connection from quarterback Graham Mertz to freshman wideout Eugene Wilson.

Arkansas started its responding drive and it looked promising, but an ill-advised throw from KJ Jefferson into double coverage found the hands of Florida safety [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag].

The interception flipped the momentum back to the Gators and gave the Florida faithful some hope in the stands and the social media universe.

Pair of Gators make ESPN’s midseason CFB newcomers re-rank

ESPN is updating its rankings of the top 50 freshmen and transfers in college football this season, and two Gators are now on the list.

Just ahead of the 2023 college football season, ESPN put together a list of the top 50 transfers and freshmen in college football, ranking the best “newcomers” in the sport before any of them played a down with their new squads.

Now that everyone has settled into their new digs, ESPN Staff Writer Tom VanHaaren is revisiting the list, and there are two Gators on the latest re-rank.

Safety Jordan Castell, who has been a starter from Day 1, is in the No. 46 spot and quarterback Graham Mertz, who transferred from Wisconsin, is No. 47 on the list. Both were unranked on the list in the preseason

Castell was the No. 139 overall recruit on the ESPN 300 and looks like the future leader of the secondary. He’s one of four Division I freshmen safeties with a defensive rating above 70.0 and is the second-best pass-rushing safety in his class so far, according to PFF.

“Castell was an important addition to Florida’s 2023 recruiting class as the staff was looking for help on defense,” VanHaaren wrote. “Castell was the No. 10 safety in the class. He has played in all seven games this season, starting six and is second on the team in total tackles with 32. He has 1.5 tackles for a loss and a pass breakup in his first season for the Gators.”

Mertz joined the team via the transfer portal over the offseason, and even the most hardcore Gators fans found it hard to believe that he would be among the conference’s best signal callers. But eight weeks into the season, Mertz is on pace for a career year and seems like the most reliable piece of the offense.

“Mertz has improved his numbers, completing 76.2% of his passes, good for No. 3 among all FBS quarterbacks, and has 1,897 yards, 12 touchdowns and two interceptions. One of the more impressive stats for Mertz is that he leads all quarterbacks in off-target percentage with just 4.6% of his attempts off-target. At this point in the season last year, Mertz completed 63.5% of his passes and had thrown for 1,427 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions.”

There is one Gator who made the preseason list but is no longer on it. Wide receiver Eugene “Tre” Wilson III rounded out the top 50 coming into 2023, but missing a few games to injury seems to have overshadowed a strong start to his career.

When healthy, Wilson is one of Mertz’s favorite (and most reliable) targets. If there is an end-of-the-year update to these rankings, Wilson could find a way back on.

Also worth mentioning is former Florida defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland at the No. 22 spot on the list. He transferred to Virginia Tech over the offseason and has thrived so far as a Hokie. He has seven sacks and 25 pressure so far this season.

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Florida leads FWAA Freshman All-American Watch List with 5 selections

Billy Napier has brought some talent to Gainesville and the Football Writers Association of America is taking notice of Florida’s freshmen.

The Football Writer Association of America named five Florida Gators to its 2023 Freshman All-American Watch List on Wednesday.

Florida’s five selections are the most by any team featured on the list and make up more than one-third of the SEC’s total selections (14).

Tight end Arlis Boardingham and offensive guard Knijeah Harris are the two offensive players on the list.

Boardingham has come into his own as Florida’s best pass-catching tight end and has 18 receptions for 105 yards and a team-high four touchdowns this year. Harris has performed well as a trusted piece of the interior line rotation.

Defensive linemen Caleb Banks and T.J. Searcy join safety Jordan Castell as the Gators defenders on the list.

Castell has been a starter from Day 1 and has led the team both on and off the field as a true freshman. Banks, a redshirt freshman transfer from Louisville, is also a starter. His 10 total tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss don’t seem too impressive, but he’s a crucial piece of Florida’s impressive front seven.

Searcy is an edge rusher who is behind Princely Umanmielen on the depth chart. Umanmielen has been one of the top pass rushers in the country this year, yet Searcy has still managed 17 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks. His best game came on Saturday against South Carolina, so the best may be yet to come.

Eugene “Tre” Wilson III’s absence from this list might be the most startling thing about it, though. While Wilson has missed time with injury, he’s been the best freshman for Florida so far this year and looks like a key piece for the future, similar to Castell on defense.

Regardless, it’s apparent that Florida is loaded with first-year talent, which speaks to Billy Napier’s recruiting ability coming off a 6-7 Year 1 in the Swamp.

The last regime coaching staff didn’t seem too thrilled to recruit at a non-stop pace, but Napier seems to always be working.

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Gators safety named Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Week

The Florida Gators have a few impact true freshmen on the roster, but it’s safety Jordan Castell who is receiving some national recognition following the Tennessee game.

The Maxwell Football Club named first-year Florida safety [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag] the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Week on Tuesday.

Castell earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors on Monday, but this award covers all conferences. He recorded 10 tackles and one pass breakup in the third quarter. Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton took a shot deep from his own 31-yard line, but Castell was there.

Pro Football Focus graded Castell the highest among all Florida defenders during Week 3. He earned an 82.7 rating on defense — 79.0 as a run defender, 75.4 in tackling and 82.6 in pass coverage.

He played a team-high 66 snaps and allowed just one catch on four targets.

Castell didn’t make the Freshman of the Year Watch List in the preseason, but he could be added to it by midseason. The only Gator to make that list is Eugene “Tre” Wilson III, who has been equally effective on offense but could be out for a few weeks with an injury.

Head coach Billy Napier praised Castell for his poise as a first-year player on Monday.

“This kid has been through some things. He’s got some maturity,” Napier said. “He’s had to grow up. I think I really knew he could be special when I went to his school. You see him interact with teachers and administrators. He was a leader, just a guy who had a lot of presence about him.

“He showed up in January and has been about his business, and ultimately he’s playing well as a rookie for us.”

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2023 Florida Football Position Preview: Safeties/STAR

Florida lost all three starters from the third level over the offseason, but there’s a room full of young talent that is ready to step up.

After looking at every other offensive and defensive player on Florida’s roster, it’s time to wrap things up with the safeties and STAR position players.

Trey Dean and Rashad Torrence held down both starting safety spots for all of 2022, but now two doors have opened for some young talent to step up. At STAR, Jaydon Hill and Jadarrius Perkins look to split duties after Tre’Vez Johnson departed the program.

This group might not be the most experienced, but there is a ton of raw talent ready to be unlocked.

Here’s a look at every safety and STAR on Florida’s 2023 fall roster.

Florida offered this Orlando 4-star safety on a Junior Day visit

One of the recruits that visited and received an offer on Florida’s final Junior Day before the dead period was four-star safety Brandon Jacob.

The Florida Gators offered four-star safety [autotag]Brandon Jacob[/autotag] during the final Junior Day of the January recruiting period, according to 247Sports.

Jacob isn’t a stranger to the program, having been to a few games in the past, but this was his first real tour of what the school had to offer. As most unofficial visits to Florida over the last month or so have gone, Jacob got to spend a lot of time with players and coaches while inspecting the facilities, and things ended with a meeting in [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s offer where an offer was extended.

He got to sit in on meetings and talk with players from his area, such as freshmen defensive backs [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag]. The coaches that spent the most time with him were safeties coach [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] and coach [autotag]Larry Williams[/autotag].

Napier offered Jacob personally, which meant a great deal to him, and the Gators appear to be sitting in a good spot with him as the spring approaches.

“I can say Florida is going to be a top school for me,” Jacob said. “Out of all my offers, even though they just now offered me, I feel like it’s huge and a big impact.”

Colorado, Maryland and Florida State are some of the other schools that are recruiting Jacob well. The heat should be turned up in March once visits are permitted again. Jacob doesn’t have any dates locked in yet, but he has some ideas of where he wants to stop by.

“I want to see Florida, Miami, Florida State, and Maryland in March,” he said. “I want to visit Colorado too, that is a goal of mine for the spring. Take some official visits in the summer and then commit maybe like August hopefully.”

The 247Sports composite ranks Jacob No. 291 overall in the class of 2024 and No. 24 among safeties. The On3 consensus is a bit more bearish on him at No. 305 nationally and No. 24 among those at his position.

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Florida football ‘sits top five’ for top 2025 in-state cornerback

The Gators made the early cut for this top 2025 cornerback from central Florida.

Recruiting remains at the forefront of the Florida football hot stove as [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and Co. turn their attention from the 2023 cycle to the next one and beyond. One of the head coach’s strongest focuses has been on pressing hard for prep prospects within the Sunshine State, which has paid off pretty well early on.

Among those to have received an offer to play for the Orange and Blue is top 2025 cornerback prospect [autotag]Ivan Taylor[/autotag] out of Winter Garden (Florida) West Orange. With that offer in hand, the 5-foot-11-inch, 170-pound defensive back told Gators Online’s Corey Bender that, “Florida sits top five” among the schools that have extended scholarships so far.

“The first thing I would have to say I like about them is they’re welcoming as a whole. When they came to look at (2023 high school teammate) [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag], they were all just so welcoming to him. He looked comfortable and, like, he could be himself,” Taylor explained to Bender.

Speaking of his former Warriors teammate Castell, he has maintained a mentor-like relationship with the incoming college freshman.

“My relationship with JC is very good. He took me under his wing and has helped me with football and academics. Our football chemistry is very good. I could see myself playing with Jordan in future years.”

The high school sophomore currently has offers on the table from the Alabama Crimson Tide, Florida State Seminoles, Michigan Wolverines, South Carolina Gamecocks, Tennessee Volunteers and Penn State Nittany Lions, among others

Taylor is rated four stars and ranked No. 31 overall and No. 1 at his position nationally according to 247Sports; neither the 247Sports composite nor the On3 consensus has any data on him. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the Gamecocks out ahead early for his talents with a 30.8% chance of landing him, while the Ole Miss Rebels, Pitt Panthers and Wolverines follow at 26.9%, 23.1% and 19.2%, respectively.

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Billy Napier describes trio of defensive backs as a ‘very versatile group’

Gators fans could see some improvements in the secondary next season thanks to Napier’s positional overhaul.

The Florida secondary will be undergoing an overhaul for the 2023 season. Defensive backs [autotag]Trey Dean III[/autotag], [autotag]Rashad Torrence II[/autotag], [autotag]Donovan McMillon[/autotag] and [autotag]Corey Collier Jr[/autotag]. have all left the program either due to graduation, declaring for the NFL draft or entering the transfer portal.

[autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] and [autotag]Miguel Mitchell[/autotag] are the only returning safeties from the 2022 season. Because of the roster turnover, highly-touted recruits like [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag], [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag] will undoubtedly get playing time over the course of the season. But those aren’t the names that Napier singled out.

Head coach Billy Napier believes that [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag], [autotag]Bryce Thornton[/autotag], and [autotag]Aaron Gates[/autotag] are the early contenders to provide the position depth in 2023. In addition to being the team’s defensive coordinator, [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] is also tasked with being the safeties coach, working with cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] to craft the defensive backfield.

Napier praised Castell’s ability to cover receivers in man-to-man or zone coverage, Thornton’s football IQ, and Gates’ competitive nature, noting that he was the lone holdover from the previous staff to become a Florida Gator in 2023. Gates is coming off a torn ACL suffered in his final season of prep football, but the staff maintained their belief in him and brought him in.

Overall, the secondary looks to be at the dawn of a new era. For a long time, Florida fans were unsure about the talent level in the secondary. It seems like this group will be the ones to begin the process of restoring Florida to its “DBU” status, something that hasn’t been able to be said in a long time.

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Where Florida’s 2023 recruiting class finished in final On3 rankings

Half of Florida’s 2023 recruiting class wound up in the On3 top 300 after the final update was released on Tuesday.

The Florida Gators already signed the bulk of its 2023 recruiting class, and the haul is looking even better than expected after On3 provided its last update to its independent rankings, the On300.

Ten of Florida’s signees cracked the top 300 and five players made it into the top 100.

Again, this is On3’s independent rankings, which is used to reach the more commonly cited On3 consensus or 247Sports composite rankings. Those are aggregate scores that use different formulas depending on the site and are used more often because they help eliminate any one service’s individual bias.

Several of Florida’s signees participated in All-Star games and boosted their stock with good performances against some of the top players in the class. The two most notable were cornerback [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] and defensive lineman [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag], who each moved up over 50 spots to break into the top 50.

Here’s a look at where each Florida signee from the class of 2023 finished in the On300 rankings.