We are ten days away from the Florida Gators taking the field for the first time in 2022. The last week of practice for the Gators was crucial in determining who will be receiving playing time early in the season. Napier spoke with the media on Wednesday afternoon and provided an update on the depth of the roster.
“After spring I would say we had one and a half units if that makes sense. But I do believe that we’ve made progress. I think we’ve got players that have proven over time that they are loyal, we see consistency for them, they are responsible, they are dependable, we need more players that can play winning football,” Napier said. “I think we have some that are in the middle of that process, but I do think that we’ve developed some players that may have not played a significant role for the Gators in the past.”
There are a few players that will be listed on the 2nd team that Napier believes are capable of starting.
“A few off the top of my head would be, Tyreak Sapp, Austin Barber,” Napier said. “Those are two in particular that stand out to me that I think are starters in my mind. They might not be a starter, they may or not be a starter on game day, but they’re going to play.”
“There are other players that I think fit into that,” Napier said. “Shemar James is an exceptional player. There’s a number of young players that I think their role will grow as we continue to compete. We developed some of the players on our team that have minimal experience and I think they are ready for the show.”
“We got a lot of players that have minimal experience that I think are going to grow as the season goes,” Napier said.
“Sapp, Boone, Princely, there’s a handful of guys there,” Napier said. “How much have they really played in a game when it counts. Those guys needed to make progress, I think they have made progress, and I do believe they are going to continue to improve. They are nowhere near where they are going. I think all those guys have improved, Tyreak in particular, Princely also has really impressed me,” Napier said.
Napier praised a pair of newcomers in Caleb Douglas and Trevor Etienne. Douglas is a player I’ve been high on ever since he stepped foot in Gainesville. He’s a smooth route runner and a natural at the position. He belongs in the SEC.
“He flashed in the scrimmage the other day, made some plays,” Napier said.” Caleb is a former quarterback, this is a guy that kind of early in his junior year started playing that receiver position, so I think we are excited about his upside. This guy is 6-3, maybe some change. He weighs close to 200 pounds. He’s got some unique traits; I think the things that are required to play receiver. He’s a developmental player that I think is making some progress,” Napier said.
Trevor Ettiene has caught the eye of the media and most importantly, the coaching staff.
I’ve been very pleased with Trevor, there’s no question we made a good decision there,” Napier said. “I was familiar with him, having evaluated him at Louisiana. You know the guys 5-8 and three quarters; he weighs 207 pounds. He’s loose, he’s got a low center of gravity, catches the ball well. I think he has some returner value. The big thing with him is his character, his consistency. The guy shows up and works. He got a little bit ahead of the game there I think because of his brother’s experience.”
“He’s a worker, he’s got a great attitude, he’s got a little sense of humor, I like him. I think he’s got a good chance to be a good player for the Gators,” Napier said.
The Gators depth chart may lack experience, but it doesn’t lack skill. I think it’s safe to say Napier is getting more comfortable with the depth on this Gators team as we get closer to kickoff.
The bottom line is the younger players that Napier mentioned are going to play huge roles on the team this year. This is a team that’s going to get better as the season progresses, simply because these players will gain real game experience.
It may take a few seasons for Napier to get the depth he desires, but he’s doing everything he can to get his players ready to compete this season.