The addition of wide receiver coaches Trent McKnight and Marcus Davis gave Florida an edge in recruiting star transfer wideout Eric Singleton Jr. The two assistant coaches previously coached at Georgia Tech and Auburn, respectively, where they mentored Singleton Jr. over the past two seasons.
“Eric, he’s a guy that don’t say much. And so for him to come and trust us with his last year, it means a lot. We’re gonna put our best forward to continue to develop him, to get him where he wants to go. But it was a good process. He knows the things that he wanted to focus on, and he felt like he could get that here with us,” Davis said.
“And so he kind of knew what to expect. He already played in Buster’s offense. And so, things made a lot of sense for him to come and do it with us again,” Davis added.
Singleton Jr. was one of the more productive receivers in the portal with 162 career receptions, 2,002 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. When asked about his skill set, McKnight and Davis both highlighted Singleton Jr.’s football IQ.
“Eric’s a really smart player,” McKnight said. “I think he’s quiet, but he’s very smart. He goes about his business the right way. I think everything he’s done right now, he’s a pro at how he’s going about it.”
“I tell him all the time, he’s one of the smarter players that I ever got the opportunity to coach,” Davis added. “Super intelligent, he knows the game.”
Florida’s coaching staff has encouraged Singleton to step up as a leader in hopes his intelligence will elevate those around him.
“I’m just challenging him to bring somebody with him,” Davis said. “You know, bring one of those younger guys with him. Like the Groce’s of the world, or Marquez [Daniel], bring those younger guys, Justin [Williams], all those guys, making sure he brings them with him. Because he’s got the influence, he just got to use it in the right way like he’s been doing.”
Singleton Jr.’s most intriguing physical trait is his speed. Competing for Georgia Tech’s track and field team in 2023 and 2024, he clocked personal bests of 10.32 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 21.18 seconds in the 200-meter dash.
“Obviously, he has elite speed. We’ve looked at the portal really the last two years. I’ve probably watched most of the receivers that have been in there, and there’s very few that can run as fast as Eric can,” McKnight said. “There’s a lot of guys that were on track, and they don’t play football fast, right? He’s got really good play speed.”
“He’s legit fast. I believe he ran like a 10.3, 10.4 at Georgia Tech. So, he can roll,” Davis added.
Another key factor in this addition is Singleton Jr.’s durability. Florida dealt with a number of injuries last year, including Dallas Wilson, Aidan Mizell, Eugene Wilson, and Vernell Brown III.
That hasn’t been a concern for the Douglasville, Georgia, native. He’s played in all but one game over his three-year collegiate career, suiting up in 36 of 37 contests, including 30 consecutive games.
“I think it goes back to his knowledge of the game,” Davis said. “He ain’t running himself covered. You know, if it’s a zone play, and it’s a cover two corner and he got an out route, he knows to sit. The dude just pick up the football game quick, and I think that’s what helps him protect himself from hits or knowing when to get extra yards or when to go down. He just got a really good feel for the game.”
Between his speed, on‑field intelligence, durability and playmaking ability, Singleton Jr. gives Florida another elite offensive weapon.