Florida Gators most indispensable players

For the first time since 2010 the Florida Gators enter a football season as defending SEC East Champions. You wouldn’t know it given the hype that the Tennessee Volunteers have received, but the Gators are the returning SEC East champions and should be favorites to represent the Eastern division in Atlanta again this year.

In order to do that they will need contributions big and small from superstars, role players and, yes, even the punter and kicker. Punters are, after all, people too. However, there are players that are indispensible. Take 2015 for instance. Subtract Will Grier, insert Treon Harris and watch the results. Grier was indispensible.

Several factors go into giving a player this distinction. Caleb Brantley is probably Florida’s best defensive lineman, but if he were to miss time, the Gators have a deep defensive line and they have enough pieces to rotate and patch up the hole. Making this list we took into account a player’s ability, the role they’re expected to play this season, the drop-off from them to the next player on the depth chart and the overall depth Florida has at that position.

Without further adieu, these are the five most indispensable players on the Gators’ roster.

 

Luke Del Rio

Jim McElwain hasn’t announced, and probably won’t announce, a starting quarterback but the odds on favorite is Luke Del Rio. The Oregon State transfer was the steadiest quarterback throughout spring practice. Austin Appleby is a solid backup. He has experience in a major conference and is a veteran presence in the quarterback room but Del Rio gives the Gators the best chance to win. Del Rio is the best player at the most important position on the field and with only Appleby and a duo of freshmen behind him on the depth chart, he’s one of the most indispensable players on the team.

Marcus Maye

The importance of Maye’s decision to return to school cannot be understated for the Gator defense. Maye spent years waiting for an opportunity to play and made the most of it in 2015. He set career highs in tackles (82), pass breakups (6), forced fumbles (5) and interceptions (2).

Maye also brings stability to a secondary that is tasked with replacing Vernon Hargreaves, Brian Poole and Keanu Neal. The starting spot next to him is up for grabs, but the drop-off from Maye to the next safety is extreme. Florida needs him to be on the field this season and to play like he did in 2015.

Antonio Callaway

Florida returns just five receivers that registered a reception in 2015. Those five combined for 79 catches and nine touchdowns. Antonio Callaway owns 35 of those catches and four touchdowns. We heard about Ahmad Fulwood and Chris Thompson all spring, then Fulwood wasn’t targeted in the Orange and Blue Debut and Thompson hauled in one pass. There is a large group of freshmen pushing for playing time at this position but Callaway is a proven talent. On top of his receiving ability, Callaway added 435 yards on 28 punt returns with two more touchdowns.

After Del Rio, Callaway might be the next most important player the Gators have on offense.

David Sharpe

Sharpe started every game but one at left tackle and appeared in every game for the Gators, despite battling an injury. He’s the most veteran offensive lineman the Gators have and he’ll be the cornerstone of a unit that goes from least experienced in 2015 to most experienced this year. Florida has a solid starting five along the line, but they do not have a clear replacement for Sharpe. The interior of the line with Martez Ivey, Cam Dillard and Tyler Jordan is sturdy and backups like Nick Buchanan, T.J. McCoy, Richerd Desir-Jones and freshman Brett Heggie give the Gators flexibility there. At tackle, however, things are thin. Fred Johnson has been groomed to play right tackle, and hasn’t gotten reps on the other side of the line. Ivey has experience at left tackle in high school, but spent his freshman season at guard and missed the spring following shoulder surgery. Sharpe brings stability, leadership and consistency to the offensive line. He’s the best lineman Florida has and the one that they simply can’t do without.

Jalen Tabor

Florida’s lone preseason All-American obviously can’t be left off the list, but you could add all of Florida’s starting cornerbacks to this list. The Gators are strong at corner with Tabor and Quincy Wilson and Duke Dawson shouldn’t miss a beat at nickelback. After those three things get dicey.

Sophomore Chris Williamson played in five games as a freshman but didn’t record any stats. Freshmen C.J. McWilliams and McArthur Burnett are the only other two options behind the starters, unless junior college transfer Joseph Putu sticks at cornerback. Florida’s depth is nonexistent at defensive back and it’s an issue. That makes Tabor, along with the other two starters, crucial to the success of the defense as a whole and indispensable to the team.

Nick de la Torre
A South Florida native, Nick developed a passion for all things sports at a very young age. His love for baseball was solidified when he saw Al Leiter’s no-hitter for the Marlins live in May of 1996. He was able to play baseball in college but quickly realized there isn’t much of a market for short, slow outfielders that hit around the Mendoza line. Wanting to continue with sports in some capacity he studied journalism at the University of Central Florida. Nick got his first start in the business as an intern for a website covering all things related to the NFL draft before spending two seasons covering the Florida football team at Bleacher Report. That job led him to GatorCountry. When he isn’t covering Gator sports, Nick enjoys hitting way too many shots on the golf course, attempting to keep up with his favorite t.v. shows and watching the Heat, Dolphins and Marlins. Follow him on twitter @NickdelatorreGC