Billy Napier’s 2023 recruiting class brought in a trio of elite receivers that the Gators haven’t seen in quite some time.
Florida has a total of nine scholarship receivers compared to last year’s total of eleven. However, the talent level of this freshmen class at receiver has brought this unit to new heights with next Thursday quickly approaching.
“I think all around we have a really good receiver corps if I’m being honest,” Ricky Pearsall said on receivers who could give him some rest. “I’ll bet on any of my guys in that receiving corps. I think everybody has their own talents and own key things that they’re really good at and excel at. We also have a variety of receivers, too, that are really good at several different things, so whoever is on the field, to be honest.”
“I told Coach Napier, I was like, you did a really good job recruiting because each receiver does different things really well. You’ve got guys that are vertical speed, guys that are really quick, guys that are really polished in routes. I think we can kill them, the DBs, in multiple ways,” Pearsall said.
The new trio for the Gators at receiver includes freshmen Andy Jean, Eugene Wilson and Aidan Mizell.
All three receivers have taken Pearsall by surprise early on from their ability to pick things up immediately.
“I think they took tremendous strides in these practices that we’ve had,” Pearsall said on the trio. “It’s funny because I’ll tell them one thing, maybe give them a pointer, and they’ll come up to me and be like, hey, coach me up on this route, and I’ll tell them, and then they’ll go out there and perform it. I think that’s really difficult for a young guy just because everything when you come in is kind of moving fast at you. And then not only that, they have to put that inside their body and make it a movement. I think that’s really difficult for some people, but for them, they’re just doing it naturally, and I think that’s what’s impressed me the most about them moving in these practices.”
After consistently showing out in fall camp, former Top 10 receiver Eugene Wilson was recently gifted a new number. The true freshman will wear the number 3 for the Gators in 2023.
“No, he definitely deserves it, I’ll say that. He definitely deserves it. He’s a really quick dude. He’s quick,” Pearsall said on Wilson. “I’m excited for him as much as you guys are excited for him. He’s just a playmaker. It kind of looks easy for him when he’s out there. He snags the ball very naturally. Obviously has really good routes. He’s really quick in and out of his routes, any type of routes, so I think that’s really important as a receiver. He’s taken tremendous strides. I’m really excited for him.”
“Yeah, for sure, I think so, too. I think our system is just QB friendly. I think it runs through the quarterback. It gives him a lot of freedom to make his own checks and his own reads depending on what the defense is doing,” Pearsall said on Mertz. “As a receiving corps we want to be as beneficial to the quarterback as possible, so whatever he’s seeing, we’ve got to see it, too, and be on the same page. I think he has a lot of freedom in that factor, and he’s a smart kid. He’s very experienced, so he sees the field very well. He keeps telling me each and every day how excited he is and how good this system is to him, and Napier has a lot of trust in him, so he’s given him that freedom to do that, so I’m excited for him as much as myself.”
There’s been a noticeable change in the locker room compared to what we’ve seen from this program in the past. The culture has been restored and these players are ready to go out and perform in 2023.
“I think we’ve taken tremendous strides over these training sessions and these practices. We’ve gotten closer as a team. I feel like anybody that comes to our practices and watches our practices definitely notices a difference. We just bring a lot more energy, physicality,” Pearsall said on the difference of this team heading into week one. “We’re just all excited, and what’s important and what stands out to me the most is we truly believe. We truly believe in each other and the coaches and the system, and that’s going to go a long way for us.”
Florida will travel to Utah on Wednesday, just a day before kickoff in Salt Lake City. The hostile environment of Rice-Eccles Stadium has many people concerned heading into week one, but not the Gators.
“Yeah, their fans do a really good job of making a hostile environment. They’re loud. They’re a really disciplined team. They haven’t lost in the last two years at home,” Pearsall said. “We know that, but we’re getting ready to break that. We’re excited.”
The Gators are currently open 7-point underdogs heading into Salt Lake City next week. Florida is a young but talented team that will face another tough test to start the season. Kickoff is set for Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.