Raymond Observing Growth From Gators DBs Wilson, Mitchell
Out with the old, in with the new.
Florida lost a combined 4,643 career defensive snaps from its safety position when 2022 starters Trey Dean III and Rashad Torrence II declared for the upcoming NFL Draft.
While the duo's college experience pales in comparison to Dean and Torrence's multi-year starting tenures in Gainesville, rising sophomores Kamari Wilson and Miguel Mitchell were prepared to shoulder the load on the backend of the Gators' defense as freshmen, and that trend continues throughout 2023 spring camp.
"They're doing a good job, they're doing a really good job," recently-promoted secondary coach Corey Raymond said about UF's safeties on Tuesday before detailing Wilson and Mitchell's growth. "This is year two, they understand it ... the more reps they get, the better they get."
In year one, Wilson — one of Billy Napier's prized first signings as Florida's head coach just over a year ago — took the field in every game en route to 23 defensive snaps per appearance. Mitchell, a February signee and eventual summer enrollee, made his defensive debut in Week 5 of the 2022 season and put together 107 snaps by the end of the year.
The two combined for 54 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in their rotational roles, showcasing enough to be viewed as Dean and Torrence's heirs at safety entering the offseason.
Not to mention, they're the most experienced deep safeties on Florida's roster already.
Although an undisclosed injury has forced him to wear a no-contact jersey throughout spring camp, Raymond has been impressed by Wilson's contagious energy and praised him for practicing "at another level" of hard thus far. Where the Fort Pierce, Fla. native and former consensus five-star prospect can continue to advance is within the leadership position he has been awarded.
"He has leadership traits and he’s learning how to lead. Just with the guys, making sure they’re working in the group that he has," Raymond said of Wilson. "That’s the biggest thing for Kamari. You gotta teach guys how to lead. Some guys have it naturally, but sometimes you have to show them the light and how to lead.”
Mitchell, meanwhile, is a player Raymond believes can emerge with the Gators after earning occasional reps at safety and STAR nickel corner to pair with a large workload on special teams in 2022.
A late bloomer in high school, Mitchell never ranked above a mid-level consensus three-star prospect and was originally on Napier's recruiting radar at Louisiana. But a breakout senior season at Oxford (Ala.) High with five turnovers forced, his performance as a freshman in various spots and a near-20-pound growth spurt since joining the program suggests the arrow is pointing upward in Mitchell's development.
“He can be really good, he can be a really good player," Raymond described of Mitchell. "He’s sharp. Big guy that can run, physical. He reminds me of some guys that play on Sundays. He’s got a chance to be really good."
Raymond, whose experience recruiting and developing successful defensive backs in the SEC is well-documented, took over the coaching responsibilities of Florida's entire secondary after former UF defensive coordinator and safeties coach Patrick Toney left the team for an assistant role with the Arizona Cardinals. Raymond had previously only coached UF's cornerbacks after ten consecutive seasons on LSU's staff.
While a coaching change would typically be daunting for young players stepping into significant positions, the move offered the Gators' defensive backs a sense of comfort. They know what they're getting in Raymond.
“I think it was great that coach Raymond got promoted over all the DBs," Mitchell said on Tuesday. "You know, he’s got a lot of experience, he’s coached a lot of good players and he knows what it takes to get all of us to that elite level.”
Raymond views the situation similarly and believes the move will ultimately pay dividends for Florida's defense, thanks to the unit's cohesion built under Toney's supervision in 2022.
"I think you'll see a lot more improvements because we had a good system last year. It's the same system from last year, it was really good, and I think that the guys are growing into it and understanding how to become professionals in it," Raymond explained.
"That's what's going to make them better."
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