Mullen Sounds Off on Former Gators QB Kyle Trask's Fit with Buccaneers
Florida head coach Dan Mullen believes that former Gators quarterback Kyle Trask landed in the ideal spot during April's NFL Draft.
Trask was selected with the final pick in the second round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 2020 Heisman Finalist will begin his pro career as a backup to seven-time Super Bowl champion - including this past season's title - quarterback Tom Brady.
"He couldn't be in a better situation," Mullen told the Tampa Bay Times at the Dick Vitale Gala on Friday.
"I think you're looking at a guy who has done it all, you know, and the one thing you learn from is how guys prepare," Mullen expressed, alluding to Brady. "I think that's such an important thing. [Trask] gets to walk in a room and see a guy that's the best of all time doing it."
Beyond working with Brady, Mullen pointed to Trask working with Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians as a positive for the quarterback's future as well. Arians has a well-documented history of QB development in the pros, lauded for his work with Brady, Carson Palmer in the late stages of his career, Andrew Luck, and Ben Roethlisberger.
However, Mullen circled back to what Trask could learn from the rising 22nd-year pro, reiterating the importance of preparation in football and that Trask could learn a thing, or two, maybe even seven things from Brady.
"What does [Brady] do after the game?" Mullen began to list. "What is he doing on Monday morning? What is he doing on Tuesday afternoon? What's he got going Saturday night to get ready to go? How does he carry himself? How does he lead? How does he prepare?
"To get there and get a hands-on experience of being in the room with how this guy did it," Mullen continued. "Now, Kyle's got to find his own path, but to learn that and watch that is going to be an unbelievable learning experience for him."
Whether you're a Florida fan or not, if you know who Kyle Trask is, chances are you understand that he was a backup quarterback for nearly seven years, dating from Trask's sophomore season of high school into his redshirt junior season with the Gators. An injury forced Trask onto the field early in 2019, and he went on to throw 67 touchdowns in 23 games from there.
Being a backup is a role that Trask understands, which Mullen believes is an asset for his pro career. Particularly when you consider just who Trask is backing up in Tampa Bay.
"One thing I think everyone is going to learn about Kyle too, he's going to sit there and he's going to learn, he's going to work and he's going to be prepared for when his moment comes," Mullen said.
"When they turn and say 'Hey, we need you,' he's going to be prepared for that moment."
