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Florida Gators 2020 Roster Outlook: Special Teams
With the 2019 season now in the rear-view mirror, it's time to start dissecting the Florida Gators' roster as the team begins to prepare for the 2020 season.
We've taken a look at every position across the Gators' roster on offense and defense here at GatorMaven, and now we'll break into the special teams to finish off the series.
You can check out all other 2020 positional outlooks below:
- Quarterback
- Running back
- Wide receiver
- Tight end
- Offensive line
- BUCK rush end
- Defensive line
- Linebacker
- Cornerback
- Safety
What Florida returns on special teams
Kicker Evan McPherson: With a 99% rating on extra points and nailing 89.5% of his 38 career field goal attempts, Evan McPherson enters his junior season as Florida's most accurate kicker in recent memory.
McPherson looks to continue his fantastic performance as Florida's kicker in 2020. Perhaps Dan Mullen will give him some extra opportunities to hit long field goals, after keeping the offense on the field on fourth down 26 times in 2019.
Kicker Chris Howard: If McPherson ever goes down, the Gators have given backup kicker Chris Howard several opportunities in order to have his leg ready.
Howard kicked four extra points in three games for Florida in 2019, and served as placekicker on four kickoffs as well.
Punter Jacob Finn: Finn will enter the 2020 offseason as Florida's projected starting punter, as Tommy Townsend is off and fighting for a chance in the NFL.
The rising redshirt senior has seen limited action during his four-year career at Florida, originally joining the team as a walk-on. Finn has punted twice in his career at UF, averaging 45.5 yards.
Long snapper Brett DioGuardi: After joining the team as a walk-on in 2016, DioGuardi saw his first game action as a Gator in 2019 - three snaps: Two against Vanderbilt, one against UT-Martin.
A rising redshirt senior, you'd figure experience gives him an upper hand for the open starting role.
Long snapper Marco Ortiz: A rising redshirt sophomore, Ortiz has yet to see game action after walking on at Florida. Unless he out-competes DioGuardi for the position in 2020, that might remain the case for a while.
What Florida gains on special teams
Punter Jeremy Crawshaw: The Gators' first signing of the 2020 class came from the Punter from Down Under, in Australia's Jeremy Crawshaw.
Crawshaw figures to be the long-term guy at punter Finn finishes his final season in 2020. The 6-4, 190 lb. Crawshaw averaged 45.14 yards per punt and a 4.44-second average hangtime at ProKick Australia, with career bests of 54 yards and 4.82 seconds, respectively.
Kicker Zack Sessa: The Gators added Zack Sessa as one of the 15 mid-year enrollees for the 2020 recruiting haul. A top-30 kicker in the class of 2019, Sessa had previously signed with Georgia Southern.
Freshmen returners?: With Florida's top kick and punt returners set to graduate, keep an eye on some freshmen to compete for reps on returns for Florida this upcoming spring, obviously with other members of the roster as well.
Defensive back Fenley Graham could serve as a return specialist, after doing so in high school. The 5-9, 171 lb. Lakeland product, who set a personal record of 11.09 seconds in the 100 meter dash in track, returned 23 career kicks for an average of 40 yards per return, and added 19.2 yards per return on 40 punts.
Other candidates to return kicks and punts early in their UF careers are cornerbacks Jahari Rogers and Ethan Pouncey, and wide receiver Xzavier Henderson, given their speed.
What Florida loses on special teams
Punter Tommy Townsend: One of Florida's more well-known characters, on top of being a pretty good punter, Tommy Townsend is off to the NFL after graduating from UF.
Townsend carries a 44.9 career yards per punt average, with 54 of his 91 career punts downed inside the 20 yard line and a 4.18 career average hang-time into the 2020 NFL Draft in hopes of being one of the rare punters selected, following in his brother Johnny's footsteps (another former UF punter), who was selected in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Townsend will compete to boost his draft stock this upcoming week at the East-West Shrine Bowl in St. Petersburg, FL.
Long snapper Jacob Tilghman: After starting his redshirt senior season at Florida, his first to gain somewhat serious playing time, Jacob Tilghman will leave Florida with Townsend.
Returners Freddie Swain and Tyrie Cleveland: While Florida appears to have found solid candidates to return kicks and punts going forward, its losing plenty of return experience with receivers Freddie Swain and Tyrie Cleveland departing as well.
Swain has primarily returned punts for Florida when on special teams, tallying 39 for an average of 7.9 yards per return over the past four years.
Cleveland returned 10 kicks for an average of 24.2 yards per return during his Gators career. While he remains underrated given his lack of production in Florida's offense, special teams could be Cleveland's calling card to land an NFL gig.
2020 outlook
The Gators' 2020 special teams unit will be led by one of the most accurate kickers in the nation in Evan McPherson, but besides him, everything is pretty much unknown.
With starters to replace at punter, long snapper, and on kick and punt returns (not to mention gunners and other special teams coverage positions), spring and fall camp will yield plenty of opportunities for lesser-known players to step in and make an impact - young or old.
