Five NFL Comparisons For Florida Recruits
Why do recruits choose to go to the schools they go to?
There's a multitude of reasons. But in today's football, undoubtedly one of the main attractions for a recruit is a school's ability to get them playing on Sundays.
So, what's a great way to show NFL scouts you can play on that day of the week? One quick way is to resemble guys already there.
With that being said, which of Florida's 2020 signing class have strong NFL comparisons? It should be noted that these are not projections, but rather similarities drawn on tape regarding each player's strengths and athletic profiles. Here are my five comparisons.
DL Gervon Dexter: Calais Campbell, Jacksonville Jaguars
Defensive tackle Gervon Dexter has been one of UF's most influential recruits in the 2020 cycle. He resembles Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Calais Campbell in more ways than one, but here are a few.
First, his size. Dexter stands tall at 6-foot-6, just two inches under the monstrous height of Campbell at 6-foot-8. That stature is a nightmare for quarterbacks to throw over. Campbell is an even 300 pounds while Dexter is 286. That size paired with their explosion off the ball makes them a bit of a defensive line unicorn.
These guys make personnel decisions easier for defensive coordinators because they can stay on the field for all three downs. On run-heavy downs, they can stay inside or move outside and on pass heavy downs move in the middle surrounded by speedy edge rushers while they have some speed themselves.
And off the field, both of these guys are natural leaders. Dexter has been the voice of Florida's 2020 class and has helped mightily in bringing other guys along. Campbell has had a reputation for being an excellent locker room guy his entire career.
This was Campbell's best game this season for the Jaguars. On Thursday Night Football against the Titans, his burst, physicality and enormous body was too much for Tennessee's offensive line. Dexter can provide that for Florida.
QB Anthony Richardson: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Quarterback and Gainesville native Anthony Richardson has been another staple for this class. He briefly decommitted from Florida, wanting to test the waters and see what else was out there for him, but eventually he found himself back in the class and has been since April 6, 2019.
Richardson is 6-foot-4 and is 233 pounds. His muscular build and larger stature, along with his speed, as he runs a 4.64 40-yard dash, resembles Cam Newton (6-5, 248 lbs., 4.56 40 yard dash). Both have huge arms and can sling the ball way down the field. For extra context for Gator fans, think of slightly smaller than Tim Tebow, but noticeably faster and more elusive.
That's what Newton is, and that's what Richardson is. Obviously, this isn't to say I expect Richardson to live up to Newton's Heisman and first overall pick status when he has yet to complete a pass at Florida, but the traits and strengths are similar in their games.
WR Xzavier Henderson: Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears
As I watched Henderson's highlights to study up for this article, all I needed was one play.
In Henderson's highlights, he has a touchdown where he goes over top of a corner and snatches the ball high out of the air as if the DB isn't even there.
It reminded me of a catch Robinson had in college while he was at Penn State against Michigan. It was right near the sideline, like Henderson was in his play, and the ball was so high that it felt like nobody could get it.
And that is what both of these wide receivers offer you. A quarterback can throw it into a space where the ball is either falling incomplete, or his WR is making a SportsCenter top-10 play. Henderson carries a similar frame to Robinson at 6-3.5, 180 lbs., with long arms and being clocked at 4.55 in the 40 yard dash. Robinson, comparatively, stands at 6-3, 220 lbs., with a 4.6 40 time.
DL Jalen Lee: Jurrell Casey, Tennessee Titans
Defensive tackle Jalen Lee reminds me of Titans' defensive tackle Jurrell Casey for mostly his first move. Casey weighs in at 305 pounds, while Lee is about equivalent for an upcoming college player at 294.
And for such large human beings, both of them are so quick off the ball. They both make immediate moves to shed a guard's block and disrupt everything the offense wants to do.
And that inside presence is especially tough to stop from an offense's perspective. It is not like an edge guy where you can go to the other side of the field and try to scheme around him. A double team is the only option. An interior defensive lineman that can dominate really makes an offensive coordinator change up everything he wants to do.
OL Gerald Mincey: Cyrus Kouandjio, played for Buffalo, Detroit, and Denver (2014-18)
Admittedly, the offensive line is not a strength of mine for analysis. But with this being such a strong offensive line class for coach John Hevesy, I felt it necessary to at least include one.
So, I had my editor Zach Goodall help me out on this one. He pointed out to me how tackle Gerald Mincey plays like former Alabama left tackle Cyrus Kouandjio. Previously a second-round pick in the NFL Draft to the Buffalo Bills, Kouandjio is now a member of the New York Guardians in the XFL.
While a bust in the pros, Kouandjio was excellent at Alabama and obviously good enough to make an organization decide he was worthy of a second-round pick. Mincey shares some of his traits, especially in run blocking.
Both have this nasty slap move in their arsenal, allowing pass rushers to get wide in an attempt to bend towards the quarterback, and Mincey/Kouandjio proceed to literally slap the rushers upside the head and shoulder pad area. And with both being at least 6-5, 320 lbs., these aren't soft slaps - they're violent.
Both move decently well up the field and are good at eliminating that first guy to help a ball carrier in the second level. In pass protection, both can be stone walls against edge rushers. Bull rushing is not a wise move against either of these 300-plus lbs. offensive linemen.
