Gators HC Billy Napier Talks Fenley Graham Position Change

Photo: Fenley Graham; Credit: Alex Shepherd

The Florida Gators aren't going into this year with everyone figured out already. No, they'll take their time to evaluate the entirety of the roster in order to best put players in a position to succeed. It's spring after all, and this is a perfect time for players to figure out where they fit in, and where they don't.

That can be said about redshirt sophomore Fenley Graham who has spent the past couple of years with Florida on the defensive side of the football. Since camp began this year under new head coach Billy Napier, though, Graham has seen a transition to the offensive side of the football, at wide receiver.

Over the past couple of seasons, Graham has been thought to be one of the better kick or punt return specialists on the team. Still, he never had an opportunity to showcase that talent, only receiving one attempt at it late last year. Position-wise, Graham has been with the safeties but never has really taken the field at that position other than in practice.

During his high school years, Graham was thought to be one of the more exciting players in the nation, a smaller two-way player out of Lakeland, Graham played on both sides of the field, able to excel at both corner and receiver. He was one of the more dangerous kick and punt returners in the area as well.

Now, at 5-foot-9, 166 pounds, Napier feels as though Graham can bring something new, different to the Florida receiving corp.

“That room, in general, we needed another player. We were a little short, and Fenley’s played there in the past. Fenley’s very much a developmental player and consistency is very much a quality that describes a player that I have respect for," Napier said earlier this week.

"I think Fenley, like a lot of the players on our team, needs to be more consistent as people and as football players.”

The transition to receiver for Graham makes sense, not only for the player himself but for the roster as a whole. Currently, Florida has plenty of potential at the position, but a lot of similar molds. For example, their top players, Ja'Quavion Fraziars, Xzavier Henderson, Justin Shorter and Trent Whittemore, are all 6-foot-3 or taller, the mold the previous staff wanted to have moving forward.

While that makes for some interesting red-zone action, it leaves a lot to be desired over the middle of the field and in the open field as offensive players typically can make their due with yards-after-catch.

In Graham, Florida has a player that is small, quick and agile enough to make defenders miss in the open field, and fast enough to beat them deeper down the field. Though he won't be as physical as the others mentioned, Graham certainly offers something different to the skillset of the group as a whole.

Moving forward, look for Florida to continue experimenting with different players at the various positions until the coaching staff becomes comfortable with what they have at all levels of the field.

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