Tag: O’Cyrus Torrence

Top Gators offensive lineman accepts Senior Bowl invite

The big man is heading to the Reese’s Senior Bowl to be played on Saturday, February 4.

It has been a busy start to the first week of December in the college football realm with plenty of players heading for the NCAA transfer portal to find greener pastures while others are declaring for the 2023 NFL draft to take their talents to the next level.

For those in the latter group, many will be showcasing their abilities in the annual Reese’s Senior Bowl which gives departing student-athletes one last chance to prove themselves on the gridiron before the combines begin. On Monday, after announcing his intentions to enter the draft this coming April, standout offensive lineman [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] officially accepted his invitation to the prestigious event.

The 6-foot-5-inch, 347-pound junior followed Billy Napier from the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns during the offseason and anchored a superlative offensive line for Florida that fronted one of the top rushing attacks in the nation. Torrence collected a pair of SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week awards while starting 11 of the Gators’ 12 games this season, missing the one due to injury.

Amazingly, over the course of his career stretching back to the bayou, Torrence has never allowed a single sack while only permitting 24 quarterback hurries.

The 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl will be played at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, on Feb. 4 with kickoff scheduled for 2:30 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on the NFL Network and tickets for the event are expected to go on sale soon.

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Florida’s top offensive lineman declares for NFL draft

As expected, the big man is ready to take his talents to the next level.

College football’s regular season is now well in the rearview mirror, which means it is time for student-athletes to start figuring out what to do with their imminent futures. Be it the transfer portal — which has become a de facto form of free agency in recent years — or the upcoming 2023 NFL draft, there are plenty of players with hefty decisions to be made.

Among those on this year’s Florida football squad who has decided that it is time to move on is standout offensive lineman [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag], who announced on Sunday that he will forego his final season of collegiate eligibility to enter the 2023 NFL draft.

The 6-foot-5-inch, 347-pound junior followed [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] from the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns during the offseason and made his mark in his limited time with the Gators. Although he only spent one year wearing orange and blue, he anchored one of the best offensive lines seen in Gainesville in ages that laid the groundwork for one of the top rushing attacks in the nation.

This season, the former transfer player started 11 out of 12 games — missing one due to injury —while racking up a pair of SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week awards along the way. Amazingly, over the course of his career stretching back to the bayou, Torrence has never allowed a single sack while only permitting 24 quarterback hurries.

As expected, the junior lineman will sit out for Florida’s bowl game against the Oregon State Beavers in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 17 in order to prepare for his draft evaluations. The 2023 NFL draft will be held from April 27-29 in Kansas City, Missouri.

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Two Gators projected to sit during bowl season by 247Sports

Players sitting out of bowl games to preserve their bodies for the NFL draft is a modern-day reality of college football. Here’s which Gators 247Sports thinks will sit.

The Florida Gators secured bowl eligibility with their win over the South Carolina Gamecocks two weeks ago, but the team might be without two of its best players when the postseason finally comes around. 247Sports took a shot at projecting which players are likely to sit out for their team’s bowl game, and for Florida, those names are quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] and guard [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag].

Both players have first-round potential, but Richardson lacks the experience Torrence has and could end up staying another year. Running back [autotag]Montrell Johnson Jr[/autotag]. has already begun openly recruiting Richardson to return for another year, but several NFL scouts and draft analysts believe his natural talent will override his lack of experience when the draft comes around. If Richardson has made up his mind, the Florida State game on Friday could be his last appearance in the Orange in Blue.

Torrence’s impending departure is much more of a sure thing. Pro Football Focus has graded him as the top guard in the country all year and he could be the first player at his position off the board. A First Team All-Sun Belt player a year ago, Torrence followed Billy Napier to the Swamp and has shined playing against SEC talent. If that’s not a stamp of approval for NFL scouts, it’s hard to say what is.

Losing both players might spell doom for the Gators come bowl season, but it’s the new reality of college football. When there’s money on the line, it’s smarter to stay healthy than play in a minor bowl game that could cost a player millions if something goes wrong.

Nothing is official yet and both men could end up playing in Florida’s bowl game when all is said and done, but no one would be surprised if they end up sitting.

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Florida OL O’Cyrus Torrence name a Rotary Lombardi Award semi-finalist

Florida right guard O’Cyrus Torrence is among the best linemen in all of college football, and he’s getting some national recognition for his stellar play.

Florida right guard [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] is one of 12 semi-finalists for the Rotary Lombardi Award.

After being named to the award’s watchlist in October, Torrence made the cut down from 90 players to just a dozen. He’s been one of, if not, the best offensive guards in the country and has a chance to be Florida’s highest-drafted player when April rolls around. Adding the Rotary Lombardi Award to his trophy case would only boost an already high draft stock.

The Rotary Lombardi Award is given to the college football offensive or defensive lineman who performs at a high level and best exemplifies the character and discipline of Vince Lombardi, according to the website, and has been awarded each year since 1970.

Torrence is the highest-graded guard in the nation, according to Pro Football Focus, making him a strong candidate to make the Final Four for the award. Voting will take place over the next week (until Nov. 14), and the finalists will be announced on Nov. 17. The winner will be presented the award at a ceremony on Dec. 7 that all four finalists will attend.

JACK linebacker Brenton Cox Jr. joined Torrence on the 90-man watchlist, but he has since been dismissed from the team and did not make the most recent cut.

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Florida OL O’Cyrus Torrence talks knee injury, missing LSU game

Florida only had to play one game without its best offensive lineman on the field, and he says he’s good to go for the rest of the season.

The Florida Gators got starting right guard [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] back from injury on Saturday against the Georgia Bulldogs.

Torrence missed just one game for Florida, the Week 7 matchup against LSU, but there was a noticeable difference in the offense without him on the field. That will happen when a team is missing the top-rated offensive guard in the country, according to Pro Football Focus.

Described at the time as a lower-body injury by the team, it was hard to gauge just how long Torrence would be out, especially since his status was listed as questionable on the weekly depth chart.

Then, Torrence was spotted participating in warm-ups before the game against the Tigers, but he never took the field. Following a bye week, his name vanished from the injury report, and he was back starting in the trenches for each of Florida’s 71 offensive snaps against Georgia.

A quick recovery is always welcome, but there’s always a festering curiosity that lingers in most fans (and NFL draft scouts) to know what exactly the team’s most valuable big man was dealing with.

Torrence explained the injury in a bit more detail on Monday during the team’s availability.

“It was just a strain in my MCL, so it was a day-by-day injury,” Torrence said. “We took it day by day. The week of LSU, game day came, and it was a matter of how I felt during warm-ups. But Coach let decided to just let me make the call, whether I felt good enough to play, and then towards the end, after warm-ups, I felt like I just wasn’t going to be much help on the field.

“If I tried to play through it, then I could possibly hurt it even worse, so I just decided it would be smart to just sit out. Then, knowing with the bye week coming up, I had time to heal it up all the way and be ready for Georgia.”

As far as knee injuries go, a sprained MCL is relatively minor and shouldn’t cost Torrence any stock in the draft. There’s potential for him to go as early as the first round, and he didn’t miss a beat against Georgia.

When asked if everything was okay now, health-wise, Torrence left little doubt.

“Oh yeah, it’s good,” he said.

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Depth Chart: Florida OL O’Cyrus Torrence ready to return against Georgia

Florida’s weekly depth chart is out, and it looks like right guard O’Cyrus Torrence will be back on the field against Georgia.

The Florida Gators will welcome back their right guard [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] on Saturday when they take on the Georgia Bulldogs.

UF released its weekly depth chart on Wednesday, and Torrence is no longer listed on the injury report with the lower-body issue that kept him out of the LSU game. He tried to play against the Tigers but didn’t feel well enough during pre-game warmups to take the field. Getting him back will provide a massive boost to Florida’s running game against what might be the best defense in the country.

That’s not the only change in the offensive line rotation. [autotag]Josh Braun[/autotag] is no longer with the team after announcing his intentions to enter the transfer portal in December upon graduating from UF. [autotag]Richie Leonard IV[/autotag], who was already ahead of Braun in the rotation, is now listed as the team’s backup at both guard positions.

The defensive unit remained mostly untouched through the bye week. JACK linebacker [autotag]Lloyd Summerall III[/autotag] is questionable with an upper-body injury, but he’s still listed as Florida’s third-string option behind [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]. and [autotag]Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr[/autotag].

Linebacker [autotag]Diwun Black[/autotag] is still on the injury list with a lower-body issue. He missed Florida’s game against LSU and should be out against Georgia. True freshman cornerback [autotag]Devin Moore[/autotag] is also unlikely to play after missing the past two games.

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Two Gators make 2022 Rotary Lombardi Award Watchlist

Florida had a pair of linemen featured on the Rotary Lombardi Award watchlist on Monday.

Florida right guard [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] and JACK linebacker [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]. are among the 90 players who landed on the Rotary Lombardi Award watchlist Monday when the committee released its midseason update.

According to the award’s website, the accolade “goes annually to the college football lineman — offense or defense — who, in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the character and discipline of Vince Lombardi.” A subcommittee of the Rotary Lombardi Award committee compiles the watchlist and includes SID submissions. To be considered for the watchlist, players must also have started at least one game at an NCAA Division 1 college or university.

Torrence is currently on the mend, but he’s been one of the best offensive linemen in all of college football this season. He’s transitioned from the Group of Five to the Power Five seamlessly and has first-round potential if he can stay healthy.

Cox flirted with the draft last year but came back to raise his stock. His personal goal was to break the school’s sack record of 13, but he’s only at two through seven games. Still, Cox has been one of Florida’s best players on defense this year. He has a team-high eight tackles for loss and was named Co-SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after Florida’s win over Utah.

It will take a big run for either Gator to beat out some of the other names on the watchlist, but being recognized is always a positive. Both men should warrant plenty of attention come draft season regardless of how many awards they win.

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This Gators offensive lineman a midseason All-American, per The Athletic

There’s one Gator performing at a level high enough to be considered a midseason All-American by The Athletic.

The folks at The Athletic have put together a midseason All-American team, and it’s not too surprising to see the Gators with very little representation after a 4-3 start to the season. The one Gator that is playing at a high enough level to warrant All-American consideration is the team’s starting right guard, [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag].

Torrence was a first-team All-Sun Belt selection at Louisiana a year ago, and he hasn’t missed a beat since moving with Billy Napier over to the SEC. The Athletic gave him first-team honors and Torrence has the highest grade (89.6) of any guard in college football on Pro Football Focus, and second place isn’t particularly close (85.3).

An injury kept him out of last week’s contest, but he’s still on track to be a first-round pick come April.

The 6-foot-5, 347-pounder has been a key cog in a Gators offense that ranks second in the SEC in yards per rush (6.38) and first in tackles for loss allowed per game (3.0), and his absence was felt in the Gators’ Week 7 loss to LSU.

Torrence has been everything the Gators have needed, and it seems as if only an extended period off the field would rob him of the nation’s top guard title.

Expect him to finish the season as an All-American and to be Florida’s highest-drafted player this year.

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Florida G O’Cyrus Torrence listed on injury report ahead of LSU game

Florida might be without its best offensive lineman on Saturday. Here’s what Billy Napier had to say about O’Cyrus Torrence being listed as questionable:

Offensive guard [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] is questionable for Florida’s upcoming game against the LSU Tigers, according to the Gators’ Week 7 depth chart.

Losing Torrence for any length of time would impact Florida’s offense significantly. Pro Football Focus ranks him as the No. 1 guard in all of college football and he’s anchored the right side of Florida’s line for all six games this year. Florida’s running game might not see the same success if he can’t go on Saturday.

Head coach Billy Napier fielded questions from the media during his weekly availability Wednesday night and was optimistic that Torrence would play despite his inclusion on the injury report.

“I think we’ll be okay,” Napier said when asked about Torrence’s injury. “We’re just telling you the truth. He’s a guy who hasn’t participated 100% in practice, and we’ll make some decisions over the next couple days.”

If Torrence can’t go, Florida will go with [autotag]Richie Leonard IV[/autotag] at right guard and have Jalen Farmer as a backup. UF listed Leonard as the backup left guard last week, so Torrence is clearly banged up enough for the team to make some changes to the rotation in case they are actually without him,

The good news in the trenches is that [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] is off the injury report and listed as “OR” option at right tackle with [autotag]Austin Barber[/autotag], who has earned a shot to keep the starting job over the last few weeks. PFF says Barber is a top-20 tackle in the Power Five right now, but Tarquin has the better pass-blocking grade.

Torrence could end up being a game-time decision on Saturday, but he’s not the kind of player to take a game off unless he’s forced to. He’s playing himself into a first-round grade, so staying healthy is important.

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2022 Florida Football Season Preview: Offensive Line

Florida’s offensive line was fairly strong in 2021. Returning three starters and adding a preseason AP All-American should help the unit build on what it accomplished last year.

The last group on offense left to go through in Gators Wire’s position-by-position breakdown of the 2022 Florida football roster is the offensive line.

Twenty-two players deep, the offensive line is the biggest group on the list, but [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] has recently said that the team only has around eight players in the position room ready for gameday action. The starting unit seems fairly well-defined as fall camp comes to a close, and there are a few rotational pieces that should lighten the load on those starters.

Guard [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] was the big addition to the room via the transfer portal, and UF is returning three starters to the line. Last year’s unit was quite strong, allowing just 14 sacks, finishing seventh in college football in average sacks allowed per game and finishing 23rd in team rushing yards per game. If the returning players can build on the SEC experience they’ve gained over the years, and Torrence can live up to his preseason All-American status, then Florida should be in for another strong year up front.

Here’s a look at all 22 offensive linemen on the Gators’ 2022 fall football roster.

See also:

2023 Florida Football Season Preview: Quarterbacks

2023 Florida Football Season Preview: Running Backs

2023 Florida Football Season Preview: Wide Receivers

2023 Florida Football Season Preview: Tight Ends