Five Play Prospect: Gators WR Jordan Pouncey Scouting Report
Marking the final scouting report in the AllGators "Five Play Prospect" covering Florida's 2020 signing class (for now), it's time to break down Texas wide receiver transfer Jordan Pouncey's tape.
The 6-1, 205 lb. receiver, who spent two years at Texas after playing high school ball at Winter Park (Winter Park, FL), is the brother of fellow 2020 signee, cornerback Ethan Pouncey. The brothers are also cousins of former Gators' offensive linemen Mike and Maurkice Pouncey.
While Pouncey did not amount to much during his time at Texas, it's clear from his high school tape why Dan Mullen and his staff coveted him.
Which, according to Mullen, is what he and his staff look at first regarding transfers, before assessing college tape.
Well, I think you start with high school, know what I mean, because a lot of the times we're watching the high school films now so you're comparing them to the guys you're currently recruiting. You say, okay, boy, where would we rate him right now, and he would be rated really -- this is where we would rate him in this current recruiting class. And then you'd go and try to watch some college film and see, and understanding he's a young guy adjusting to that part of it, and you just see is it the stuff that we saw in high school, are we still seeing that type of player in college, and that's how we evaluate it.
-Mullen on National Signing Day, 02/05/2020
Florida is in the midst of reshaping its wide receiver room after losing four to graduation, and Pouncey not only offers a veteran presence but has the floor to become a solid possession receiver in the Gators' offense.
Film Room
Immediate fit in the offense
Should Pouncey be immediately eligible to play in 2020, he'll fit the projected Kyle Trask-led offense like a glove.
Pouncey provides the short-area burst necessary to run West Coast-style routes in Florida's passing offense, which was predicated on Trask's timing and accuracy on passes in the short-to-intermediate levels of the field.
He does so on the mesh concept above, running a crossing pattern over a similar route from the opposite slot receiver. The route combo confuses the linebackers in coverage and opens the right side of the field for Pouncey to create yards after the catch. Last year, after Trask took over as Florida's starting quarterback, 52.9% of the Gators' passing offense came from yards after the catch, according to Pro Football Focus.
With similar burst out post-catch here as we saw pre-catch on the last clip, Pouncey breaks into and takes advantage of an open zone as soon as the nickel cornerback steps down to cover the bubble screen. Sure, Pouncey's cornerback is a good bit off the ball, but what stands out is Pouncey's quick recognition of the zone and immediate break into open field.
From there, Pouncey turns on the jets and comfortably separates himself from any defender. Slant routes, despite mostly being run within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, carry big-play potential for receivers who process openings in the defense before or as they open up, and take advantage of them.
For example, Freddie Swain's touchdown against Auburn last season.
Deep threat
While Pouncey's long speed won't make him a consistent YAC threat or burner on deep passes, his burst comes into play on this go-route near the catch point, in order to create a final bit of separation from the defender.
With long arms to go with his solid 6-1 stature, that ability makes Pouncey a receiver who can be trusted to come down with deep passes and fade routes. He does a good job tracking the ball, laying his body out and hauling the pass in after creating additional separation.
Pouncey will have to get stronger and adjust to more physical, SEC cornerbacks compared to what he saw in high school and the Big 12, but he has the intangibles to go up and get it.
Which, is a common theme among the receivers that the Gators have pulled in since Mullen took over as head coach. While Pouncey may not get the amount of contested or deep passes thrown his way, he could be a sneaky target in these situations.
Added threat to the run game
Pouncey spent a good portion of his senior season at Winter Park at the running back position, and saw positive returns thanks to his short-area quickness.
Josh Hammond stepped into the rushing offense on jet sweeps at times in 2019, and while Kadarius Toney is an obvious candidate to see those types of touches, the Gators can afford to get creative with Pouncey on similar play calls given his experience as a rusher.
Final Thoughts
Obviously, it's concerning that Pouncey couldn't post more than two receptions for 19 yards during his three years at Texas, but he was only given 24 snaps in three years to prove anything.
Gators wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales has proven he can squeeze talent out of almost anyone at the position, and Pouncey provides enough intangibles to believe he should progress his game under Gonzales.
Expect Pouncey to split his time between Z-receiver and slot, and develop into a possession-style receiver that can win the underneath routes and occasionally add to the deep game. Should Pouncey be eligible in 2020, as he was originally reported to be a graduate transfer, expect him to carve out a comfortable role and chemistry with Trask.
