Ricky Pearsall and Graham Mertz had quite the connection on and off the football field in 2023. In 11 games, the duo connected on 64 passes for 948 yards and four touchdowns while establishing a close relationship off the field. Florida needed to add a veteran receiver via the transfer portal following Pearsall’s departure to the National Football League.
The Gators turned to Wisconsin receiver Chimere Dike, who tallied 1,478 yards and nine touchdowns over the course of his four-year collegiate career. Dike’s best season came in 2022, where the 6’1, 195-pound receiver caught 47 passes for 689 yards and six touchdowns. His quarterback that year? Graham Mertz.
“It’s been great being able to reconnect with him obviously, just on and off the field,” Dike said on reconnecting with Mertz. “A lot of reps built up between the two of us, and obviously one of my best friends off the field as well. As far as coming here goes, it was a complete decision just believing in coach Napier and his staff and his vision. I mean, some of the guys and seeing their work ethic and kind of where this program is going to be headed this season and going forward and I want to be part of that.”
While Mertz unquestionably played a role in Dike’s decision to transfer to Florida, the veteran quarterback made sure his friend was making the best decision for him.
“I told him up front, I mean obviously he’s my brother, I’ve known him, we’ve been through a lot of stuff together. But the first thing I told him when he came down here was like ‘I’m not going to recruit you here, and don’t base this off of me’,” Mertz said on Dike’s recruitment. “I want you to make the best decision for you and what you think your future needs. Obviously I want you to come here, but I’m not going to push it on you and I’m not going to sell you on something that’s not real, not authentic’. I think when he came down here and saw the support staff we have, the coaches we have, the players we have, I think that’s ultimately what drove his decision.”
Mertz and Dike built a strong relationship on the field in their three years together at Wisconsin.
“Thousands. Like, it’s thousands and thousands,” Dike said on the number of footballs he’s caught from Mertz. “When I first got there, I was kind of in that second tier and Jack Coan was the starter, so whenever we threw, I was throwing with him (Mertz). And then season came, I started to start and started playing a lot and then he started. So, we’ve kind of been in sync the entire process and been able to really grow up with each other.”
WR coach Billy Gonzalzes has already noticed the chemistry the duo has on the gridiron.
“Absolutely,” Gonzalzes said on if he sees chemistry between Mertz and Dike. “I think when you’re out on the football field and you get a chance to see Graham, there’s so many reps. And I tell my players all the time, that continuity between you and a quarterback those repetitions are built over time. That quarterback gets a rhythm for who you are. Everybody runs routes a little differently. Everybody’s a little faster, some might be slower, some might be a faster step, but they’ve kind of hooked up and they got that rhythm back right now. They’re both looking really, really good.”
What you’re getting from Dike
Dike ran a 4.46 40-yard dash in his fourth year at Wisconsin. Florida has a lot of speed at receiver, but don’t sleep on the 5th year transfer’s ability to run.
“I think I can run a little bit more than people give me credit for,” Dike said on how his speed matches up with the rest of the Gators’ receiver room.
Dike is a receiver that can play both in the slot and out wide. With Mertz under center in 2022, Dike logged 78.4% of his snaps in the slot and 21.6 out wide. In 2023, Dike played almost exclusively out wide (98.7%).
“I feel like I’m well rounded, I feel like I bring a lot of things to the room,” Dike said on his skillset. “I think I have a high football IQ, I’m cerebral and I work well in space and I think I can win one-on-one matchups.”
Graham Mertz shares a similar sentiment.
“Just go watch all of Wisconsin’s third downs that were targeted to him, it was a lot,” Mertz said on Dike. “I think Chim is doing a great job of being that veteran guy that’s played, that’s won one on one’s versus the best DB’s in the country, that has that experience he can rely on. It’s going to be awesome.”
Adding Dike to Florida’s receiver room seemed like a no-brainer given the chemistry they have developed over the years. The duo will share the field for the 4th time in their collegiate careers in 2024.