Tag: Rashad Torrence II

Former Michigan safety transferring to Florida

Billy Napier wanted to add another defensive back to the roster through the spring transfer portal, and he’s found his man in former Michigan safety RJ Moten.

The Florida Gators earned a commitment from Michigan transfer safety [autotag]RJ Moten[/autotag] on Tuesday, one day after his official visit.

Moten is a Florida legacy. His dad, Ron Moten Sr., played for the Gators from 1982-1986 and was drafted in the sixth round by the Philadephia Eagles. The junior Moten joins the Orange and Blue with two years of eligibility left.

A former four-star recruit, Moten signed with the Michigan Wolverines in 2020 and appeared in one game on special teams as a freshman before redshirting.

His second year in Ann Arbor was more eventful. Moten played in all 14 of the Wolverines’ games and started five of them. As a junior in 2022, he started 10 games at safety, but eventually lost the job to Makari Page. With younger talent also improving and forcing competition, Moten’s best career move was to hit the transfer portal after spring practices.

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Now, Moten will join a safety room that is losing two starters from a season ago in Florida. [autotag]Trey Dean III[/autotag] and [autotag]Rashad Torrence II[/autotag] both signed undrafted free-agent contracts with NFL teams and Moten offers a veteran replacement to either of those two. He could also wind up playing the STAR position, which was left vacant when [autotag]Tre’Vez Johnson[/autotag] transferred out.

Sophomores [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] and [autotag]Miguel Mitchell[/autotag] are expected to play significant roles in Florida’s secondary, and senior [autotag]Jadarrius Perkins[/autotag] might be the only other lock for playing time as an expected starter.

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Former Florida safety Rashad Torrence II signed as UDFA by Rams

The Los Angeles Rams are bringing in former Florida safety Rashad Torrence II as an undrafted free agent.

The Los Angeles Rams wasted little time reaching out and signing former Florida safety [autotag]Rashad Torrence II[/autotag] following the conclusion of the 2023 NFL draft.

Torrence made 25 starts over the final two seasons of his Florida career and leaves Gainesville with 196 total tackles (111 solo), six pass deflections and three interceptions. He’s likely to play as a free safety in the NFL and put up decent coverage numbers throughout 2022, according to Pro Football Focus.

A member of the high school class of 2020, Torrence spent just three years at Florida and declared as an underclassman. Although his 40-yard dash time isn’t as high as many scouts would like, he’s a young, moldable piece that the Rams could use as depth in the secondary until he matures.

Torrence is the third Gator to sign as an undrafted free agent following Richard Gouraige to the Bills and Trey Dean III to the Jets. Six former Florida football players heard their names called during the draft.

Indianapolis Colts selected quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] with the fourth overall pick. Defensive lineman [autotag]Gervon Dexter Sr[/autotag]. (Chicago) and Torrence came off the board in the second round. Linebackers [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] (Jacksonville) and [autotag]Amari Burney[/autotag] (Las Vegas) went in the fourth and sixth rounds, respectively.

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Where Florida players stand on ESPN Mel Kiper’s final Big Board

It’s draft season and plenty of former Gators are hoping to hear their names called. Here’s where ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. ranks them just days before the big event.

The 2023 NFL draft is almost ready to begin, and that means draft analysts are locking in their final projections and Big Boards ahead of the big day. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. is one of the most well-known analysts in the country and he published his final list on Tuesday.

Quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] leads the bunch at No. 7 overall, followed by offensive guard [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] at No. 61 and defensive tackle [autotag]Gervon Dexter Sr[/autotag]. at No. 103 overall. Richardson is ranked fourth among quarterbacks in the draft class, Torrence is ranked third among guards and Dexter is the No. 10 defensive tackle.

Kiper’s takes on Florida’s top prospects are interesting. Richardson has been projected to go as high as No. 1 overall, but Kiper sees his stock falling ever so slightly. Torrence has been considered the top guard in the draft for a while, so seeing him at No. 3 is also peculiar.

“Richardson is still very raw,” Kiper wrote. “His mechanics and footwork need a lot of work. He has accuracy issues on shorter throws that should be easier. And yet, the arm strength and the dual-threat ability are so intriguing that a team near the end of Round 1 absolutely could take him and let him develop.”

Plenty of other Gators made the positional rankings.

On offense, wide receiver [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag] is No. 43 in his position group, and  [autotag]Richard Gouraige[/autotag] is the 23rd-best offensive tackle. Defensively, linebackers [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] and [autotag]Amari Burney[/autotag] come in at Nos. 15 and 25, respectively.

Former Gator [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]. was dismissed from he team but is still ranked No. 18 among outside linebackers. Finally, [autotag]Trey Dean III[/autotag] and [autotag]Rashad Torrence II[/autotag] are ranked Nos. 27 and 28, respectively, among safeties by Kiper.

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Here’s when Florida football’s NFL Pro Day is scheduled

Florida has announced details of its annual Pro Day, with eleven Gators players expected to participate.

The road to the 2023 NFL draft continues for former Florida Gators football players, with the program announcing Monday that the annual pro day will be held on March 30, according to the University of Florida’s official website.

Eleven draft-eligible players from the 2022 Florida Gators football roster will participate in this year’s pro day, including projected first-round draft picks quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] and offensive lineman [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag]. Joining them will be linebacker [autotag]Amari Burney[/autotag], linebacker [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]., defensive tackle [autotag]Gervon Dexter Sr[/autotag]., safety [autotag]Trey Dean III[/autotag], offensive tackle [autotag]Richard Gouraige[/autotag], linebacker [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag], wide receiver [autotag]Jordan Pouncey[/autotag], wide receiver [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag], and safety [autotag]Rashad Torrence II[/autotag].

Pro day events will include official weigh-ins, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, 40-yard dash, 60-yard shuttle, and positional workouts. Among those in attendance will be NFL scouts, coaches, and general managers.

Coverage of pro day will take place from the Condron Family Indoor Practice Facility, with the event broadcast at 10 a.m. EDT on the SEC Network. Former Florida football player and current SEC Network analyst [autotag]Chris Doering[/autotag] will report live from Gainesville while Peter Burns, Jordan Reid and Matt Stinchcomb will be in-studio.

There will also be coverage on NFL+, the NFL’s streaming app, with the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. reporting live from the indoor practice facility.

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2023 NFL Combine results for former Gators safety Rashad Torrence II

Take a look at the numbers from Rashad Torrence II’s scouting combine performance.

The 2023 scouting combine is officially underway as 319 of the top collegiate football players gather at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, where they get their last big chance to make an even bigger impression on scouts from all 32 NFL franchises in attendance.

One of the participants this year who hails from the Orange and Blue is safety [autotag]Rashad Torrence II[/autotag], who spent three seasons with the Gators in Gainesville. The 6-foot, 193-pound defensive back saw action in nine games his freshman year in 2020 — including three starts at safety — after which he became the starter at that position the following two seasons.

Here is a look at the final numbers from the NFL combine for former Gators safety Rashad Torrence II, including his overall grade and projection.

PHOTOS: Former Gators safety Rashad Torrence II’s 2023 NFL Combine workout

Take a look at some photos from Rashad Torrence II’s performance at the 2023 NFL scouting combine.

The 2023 NFL combine kicked off on Thursday, March 2, in Indianapolis, Indiana, where 319 of the top college prospects get one of their last chances to show off their talents in front of scouts from all 32 professional teams in the league ahead of the NFL draft at the end of April.

Among those taking part in the combine was safety [autotag]Rashad Torrence II[/autotag], who worked out on Friday — the second day of the event. The 6-foot, 193-pound defensive back put together a workout that earned him a 5.80 prospect grade which projects him as an average backup or special teamer.

Take a look below at some photographs of Rashad Torrence II’s performance at the 2023 NFL combine on Friday.

Browns land top WR and overhaul DL in 2023 NFL Mock Draft

This would be an absolute dream scenario for the Browns.

While the Cleveland Browns do not have a first round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, they do still have a bountiful amount of picks. With eight picks to play with the Browns have a tremendous opportunity to improve weak points at wide receiver and along their defensive line this offseason. While more established names may be found in free agency to add depth to their lineup, the Browns will look to add long-term and young names in the draft as well. As the Browns add defensive linemen Byron Young and Adetomiwa Adebawore in this 2023 NFL Mock Draft, what other young talents can they add through the draft?

Looking at all 9 former Gators invited to the 2023 NFL scouting combine

Here’s a look at each Florida former football player who is expected to participate in the 2023 NFL scouting combine.

Florida football will be well-represented in this year’s NFL scouting combine, which takes place in Indianapolis, Indiana, from Feb. 28 through March 6. Among the 319 collegiate prospects expected to attend the tryouts are nine from the Orange and Blue, headlined by quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag].

The Gators have two alumni who are practically locks for the first round in Richardson and offensive lineman [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag], but after that, anyone is fair game. Some project defensive lineman [autotag]Gervin Dexter Sr[/autotag]. as another possible first-rounder but the jury is still out on him.

Take a look below at each of the nine former Gators who received an invitation to the NFL draft combine starting at the end of this month, along with some helpful information regarding their size and skills.

Nine former Gators invited to 2023 NFL Combine

Plenty of former Gators are looking to boost their stock at the annual scouting combine ahead of the 2023 NFL draft.

The University of Florida will be well represented at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine as nine former Gators received invitations to attend the event, which takes place from Feb. 28 through March 6.

First-round hopefuls [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] and [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] were of course added to the invitation list, and [autotag]Gervon Dexter Sr[/autotag]. is another name that Gators fans could hear called early that earned an invite to the combine.

Richardson could boost his stock immensely at the combine. His physical gifts have always been the draw, and letting NFL scouts and coaches see him in person should be like dropping bait on a hook in a crowded pond. Torrence already boosted his stock during Senior Bowl practices, so he just needs to maintain his first-round status at this point.

Wide receiver [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag], offensive lineman [autotag]Richard Gouraige[/autotag] and safeties [autotag]Trey Dean III[/autotag] and [autotag]Rashad Torrence II[/autotag] also received invitations to the combine. Dean recently earned defensive MVP honors at the East-West Shrine Bowl, but the rest of these guys could use a little hype going into the draft after staying out of the news cycle recently.

Linebacker [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] name is the final Gator on the list, but he won’t be able to participate fully as he recovers from foot surgery. That same surgery kept him from playing in the Senior Bowl, but maybe Miller will be able to do some interviews and light work at the combine.

Finally, [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]. rounds out the list of former Gators invited to the combine. While he didn’t finish the season with the team — Cox was dismissed from the team following the Georgia game — the former Gator and Bulldog is best known for his time in the Swamp. He’ll likely have the Florida name attached to him throughout this cycle.

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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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