Projecting Florida's 2023 Tight End Depth Chart
Photo: Arlis Boardingham; Credit: Alex Shepherd
Like the wide receiver position, Florida's tight end spot is more nuanced than the overarching term used to categorize it. There are two designations within the tight end room.
In April, position coach Russ Callaway explained how the Gators utilize the players under that umbrella and the roles which each command.
"We typically play with a Y and an H," he said. "The Y is more of a bigger body that can do some in-line blocking, is usually bigger in stature. The H is more of not quite as big, is a quote-unquote little bit more of a receiving-type tight end."
Both designations present similar responsibilities, albeit aligned in a different order.
The "Y" tight end is a traditional in-line piece that produces foremost as a blocker in the rushing game while complementing those efforts with the occasional target through the air. Think of the conventional tight-end mold.
The "H" tight end, on the contrary, is "the guy that you can usually extend out of the formation, create mismatches, which is kind of what you saw a little bit last year and probably will see a little bit more of this year," Callaway said.
Whoever fulfills that role is a larger receiver, moving freely from in-line to the slot to the boundary, depending on the formation, with a secondary role as a blocker. Think of the new era tight ends, like former Gators All-American Kyle Pitts.
Florida is expected to operate mainly out of 11 personnel, given the abundance of young receiver talent available at Billy Napier's disposal.
However, the run game, powered by star backs Trevor Etienne and Montrell Johnson, will again be the team's calling card. Success on the ground will largely dictate offensive fortitude.
As a result, a healthy dose of 12 personnel is necessary. It's expected to be incorporated frequently this year, although the exact volume largely depends on the acclimation of inexperienced talent in the tight end room.
Given the four redshirt freshmen behind a redshirt senior and a junior without Keon Zipperer (knee), who will assume the starting "Y" and "H" tight end spots?
All Gators analyzes the starting, backup and reserve tight ends in the Gators 2023 rotation.
Starters: Dante Zanders (Y) and Arlis Boardingham (H)
Last year's incumbent starter, Dante Zanders, returns in 2023 to reclaim his throne as the top player at the position on this year's depth chart.
When Napier and Co. arrived in Gainesville, they immediately set expectations for the tight-end group to operate as an integral piece to the puzzle offensively. The mold held in year one, presenting extensions to the offensive line to bolster a rushing attack that ultimately accounted for over 200 yards per game.
Zanders — who moved back to the spot after spending time on the defensive line in Dan Mullen's final year at the helm — presented the most applicable option to control the team's hefty blocking duties. He saw a quick ascension up the depth chart and hopped Zipperer for the top spot before week one.
The Boca Raton (Fla.) native helped create the much-needed push upfront while accounting for 10 receptions and 58 yards. The production is enough to earn the starting job once again in 2023.
He'll continue to be utilized as a block-first, pass-catch-second asset in the Gators' offense.
Redshirt freshman Arlis Boardingham is set to join Zanders.
After spending most of his true freshman season on the shelf with a shoulder injury, Boardingham has returned to the gridiron this offseason and has impressed as a pass-catching threat every step of the way.
According to his fellow pass catcher Caleb Douglas, Boardingham has the intangibles needed to be a legitimate mismatch for the Gators, no matter where he aligns in the formation.
"I feel like he has like very sneaky speed but, on the other side of speed, he has great route running," Douglas said on Aug. 13. "For a tight end, he's going to throw you off because he's running like a receiver.
"Whoever's guarding him, linebackers and safeties, they better get right."
Boardingham has the capability to serve as the big receiving target Graham Mertz found success with while at Wisconsin, mimicking former Badgers standout and current Dallas Cowboys rotational TE Jake Ferguson as an intermediate target over the middle of the field.
He'll get that opportunity as the first H-type tight end to see the field for Florida this season.
Backups: Jonathan Odom and Tony Livingston
Due to the ACL injury he suffered in the Gators' bowl game in 2022, Jonathan Odom's momentum to a potential starting spot this campaign slowed.
However, Odom recently shed his non-contact jersey and was deemed ready to go for Florida's season. He'll likely tread cautiously as the year begins, resulting in his spot as the top essential backup.
He naturally aligns as a "Y" due to his 6-foot-5, 249-pound stature. However, Odom's late sophomore season surge as a factor in the passing game — and impressive movement relative to expectations while running routes in the fall — suggest the potential for reps at "H" when Florida elects to play with a bigger lineup.
Either way, the veteran will serve in a voluminous role for Florida this season and has the potential to work into the starting spot over Zanders, depending on his in-season growth.
On the other hand, Tony Livingston has been a surprising contributor to the Gators since he arrived on campus in the spring. He steps into the fold after taking a grey shirt season in 2022 and has proven to be a pleasant surprise for the Gators' passing game in practice and during both scrimmages.
Napier named the King High School (Tampa, Fla.) product as a player who notably accelerated his growth throughout the offseason when discussing the impact young talent will have on the team.
Livingston's youth will likely deter him from serving in a feature role for the unit, but his receiving ability presents a niche for him to work his way into the game plan.
Snaps will increase as the year grows older.
Reserve: Hayden Hansen and Andrew Savaiinaea
Members of the 2022 recruiting class, Hayden Hanson and Andrew Savaiinaea, will make up the unit's reserves in 2023.
Both fit the mold of "Y" tight ends to present depth behind Zanders and Odom in case of further injury to either one.
Hansen, a former quarterback, was a project acquisition by the Gators staff in the transition class, suggesting several years of progression under the tutelage of Callaway — and formerly William Peagler — before being deemed game-ready.
Hansen's taken steps in the right direction heading into year two, according to Callaway and Napier, flashing as a big-bodied pass catcher after being thrust into a heightened role due to injuries in the spring, summer and fall.
Even then, further development is required before he sees the field on offense.
Meanwhile, Savaiinaea jumped from defensive end to the offense following the last season's close, bolstering the unit's depth after glossing over the spot in the 2023 recruiting cycle.
The Graham (Wash.) native produced 317 yards and nine touchdowns on 24 receptions as a tight end in high school. His muscular build — 6-foot-3, 279 pounds — has resulted in him being linked as a candidate to fulfill fullback duties if Florida were to employ that position.
If one were to see meaningful tight-end action, Hansen possesses the best chance as a traditional Y, given the towering frame he can utilize to provide valuable aid as a run blocker.
However, it's unlikely either is used in frequent volume.
Previous Gators 2023 depth chart projections
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