These two true freshmen have ‘bright futures’ with the Florida offense

It’s hard to get playing time as a true freshman but these two Gators are making their names known during fall camp.

Tight end Nick Elksnis and receiver Marcus Burke are two names to watch after impressing teammates and coaches in fall camp, according to 247Sports.

Elksnis enrolled early and received praise for his athleticism and maturity during spring practices. Tight ends coach Tim Brewster has claimed that he has one of the best groups in the country and Elksnis could very well be a big part of it. Burke, a four-star recruit in high school, is just joining the program but is turning heads as well.

“They’re doing good, learning. There’s a lot of learning curve,” coach Dan Mullen said. “They’re out there getting reps. You can see both of them are going to have really bright futures with us with how they play.”

Elksnis is behind Kemore Gamble and Keon Zipperer at tight end but could make his way onto the field this year as the Gators look to replace Kyle Pitts. An athletic 6-foot-6-inch, 243-pound tight end, Elksnis certainly fits the build of what Florida is looking for and he’s stronger than Pitts was at this time in his career.

Burke provides a different skill set for the Gators. While Elksnis impresses with his physicality, Burke is fast, quick and sure-handed in traffic. He can go up against most defensive backs and give his team a chance. The talent is there for him to make an impact but he’ll have to prove his knowledge of the offense to see the field consistently as a true freshman.

“Come in and learn, just sit back and learn and try to learn as much as you can because at this level it’s not always about talent and what you can do,” senior running back Malik Davis said. “That’s not really what gets you on the field. Your coach has got to build trust in you. By doing that, that’s just going out and practicing, executing plays and showing him that you know what you’re doing.”

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