Nine Gators Earn Spots on Preseason Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List

Nine Gators earned their way onto the Reese's Senior Bowl watch list prior to the 2023 campaign on Wednesday morning.

Florida quarterback Graham Mertz, wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, tight end Dante Zanders, center Kingsley Eguakun, edge rusher Princely Umanmielen, defensive tackle Cam Jackson, linebacker Teradja Mitchell, and defensive backs Jaydon Hill and RJ Moten were included.

9️⃣ Gators have been named to the @seniorbowl Preseason Watch List! 🐊#GoGators | #jOURney pic.twitter.com/U9G7o466tf
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) August 23, 2023

The assortment of upperclassmen to grace the watch list is expected to produce considerably for Florida during Billy Napier's second season in Gainesville. All of which are slated to occupy starting spots.

Notably, Eguakun has been linked to the Senior Bowl for the second time this offseason after drawing praise from the Executive Director of the event, Jim Nagy, in late June.

"[Eguakun] is good zone run game fit because he's quick out of his stance, stays attached working laterally, and productive at second-level," Nagy, an NFL scout of 18 years, said in an X post. "His long wingspan (81 and 1/4 inches) is also a huge benefit in pass pro for the center spot."

Another beneficiary of a potential spot on the Senior Bowl roster following the 2023 season's inclusion is Pearsall.

After electing to return to the Gators unit as a senior, Pearsall will shoulder more responsibilities while attempting to prove his worth as an NFL Draft prospect.

Not only will Florida's leading receiver from a year ago continue to command a hefty role out of the slot, but he'll take snaps as a boundary wideout and return punts, too. He's "primed for a great year," according to Napier and his teammates.

His production, in turn, will directly correlate with the aptitude of Wisconsin transfer in Mertz as the leading signal caller. Mertz is jockeying for a resurgence with UF after struggling during his time with the Badgers.

A productive symbiotic relationship with Pearsall could pay dividends to earn the coveted spot in Mobile (Ala.).

On the defensive side of the ball, Umanmielen is preparing for a potential breakout season. Paired with a dominant showing in the well-respected bowl game, a productive campaign could move the Manor, Texas native into the conversation for a late-first, early-second-round pick based on preseason projections.

Several Gators have found success while participating at the Reese's Senior Bowl in recent memory.

Running back Dameon Pierce significantly boosted his draft stock by earning rave reviews from the week-long bowl series for aspiring professional prospects following Florida's 2021 season. He was selected in the fourth round by the Houston Texans.

Offensive linemen O'Cyrus Torrence and Richard Gouraige served as representatives a season ago. Both found a home in Buffalo.

Florida hopes to sustain the pipeline with additional talent earning invitations as the year progresses.

You can find the complete Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List here.

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