Over the next 20 days, GatorCountry will preview the players that make up the 2013 Florida Gators football team as we inch closer and closer to the season.
Each day we will count down using the player whose jersey number corresponds with how many days there are left until Florida kicks off against Toledo in the Swamp on August 31
Today we take a look at redshirt freshman Marcus Maye.
History
Maye is an athletic safety from Holy Trinity High School in Melbourne. Maye was an Under Armour All-American in high school and chose to attend Florida over scholarship offers from Alabama, LSU, Florida State, Auburn, Miami, Michigan, Tennessee and Texas A&M to name a few.
Maye hurt his meniscus playing basketball in high school and used a redshirt his first year on campus.
Player Evaluation
Strengths
Maye has good. but not great speed and is a smart player who puts himself in good positions on the field to make plays. He takes good angles in pursuit and breaks down well when tackling. Maye wraps up and drives through tackles.
Maye plays a very similar style of football as Matt Elam. He isn’t as big of a hitter as Elam but is a player who can easily come down to play in the box and cover slot receivers. He pursues the ball carrier well and has a high motor.
Maye has good hands and shows good ball skills with an ability to go up and fight for the ball at its’ highest point.
Weaknesses
Maye isn’t the fastest player in Florida’s secondary and he doesn’t have great fluidity in his hip movements. This could make it hard for him to cover smaller, faster slot receivers in man coverage.
What to Expect
Word out of camp is that Maye has begun to take a lead at one of the safety positions. He’s currently still in a battle at the position but throughout the off-season his name popped up most when talking to players and coaches about the safety spots.
Expect Maye to win one of the starting jobs at safety and play a very similar role as to what Matt Elam played in the defense last season.
What happen to day 21 with taylor and gorman
So……we’re looking at Riggs, who everyone already has penciled in at one safety spot, now Maye more than likely has the other…….. That means Watkins is the odd man out……plus Poole, who we haven’t heard much about lately and the three freshmen, Harris, Neal and Washington. A lot of talent having to sit at this position.
Thanks for reading and the comment Scooter.
Jaylen Watkins is going to play a little of everything, the Trey Burton of the offense if you will. He’s going to play cornerback, safety ad nickel.
Brian Poole is the starting nickel back. CWM estimated that Florida was in nickel over 80% of the year in 2012 so that is a very big role for Poole. Harris and Neal are going to make an impact this season on defense and special teams.
Scooter I agree a lot of talent there. I think you will see Watkins playing some as well and I think you see Brian Poole at the nickle a lot.