Over the next 78 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 an in-depth look at JUCO offensive tackle Trenton Brown.
History
Brown graduated from Westover high school in 2011 and spent the next two seasons at Georgia Military Academy. He earned his AA degree there and committed to the University of Florida over other scholarship offers from Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma and Texas A&M.
Brown enters this season as a junior with two years of eligibility remaining.
Player Evaluation
Strengths
Brown is a mountain of a man. At 6’8”, Brown weighed as much as 380-pounds while in junior college. The coaching staff told him they want Brown at 345-pounds before the season starts and he’s well on his way to that number. Brown showed up to campus at 350-pounds and has been putting in the work all off season.
Despite being such a big player, Brown has great footwork and overall technique. Brown knows that he only has two years to get to where he wants to be and he is taking football very seriously right now.
Brown is a very adept run blocker and while he can hold his own in the passing game, he is slightly more advanced in the run game, which works perfectly for what Florida wants to do.
Weaknesses
Because he is so tall, Brown really needs to focus on staying low and playing with leverage. He does this most of the time but his film shows lapses where he gets too upright out of his stance. This will give pass-rushers an opportunity to get around the big man before he can move his feet and seal the edge.
What to Expect
Sources close to the team told Gator Country that the coaching staff really wanted Brown to be able to enroll early and participate in spring practice. Brown fell a credit short of being able to do that but enrolled in Summer A and has been going through workouts with Jeff Dillman and the team.
In my opinion, Tyler Moore – who played right tackle this spring – is more suited to play guard in the SEC. I think the coaching staff wanted Brown to be able to enroll in the spring so they would be able to move Brown to right tackle and slide Moore inside. I fully expect this move to be made at some point this season and for Brown to seriously contend for a starting spot at right tackle in 2013.