Which Gators Officially Entered the 2023 NFL Draft?
Photo: Anthony Richardson (15) and O'Cyrus Torrence (54); Credit: Alex Shepherd
Following Jan. 16's deadline to apply for special eligibility, the NFL released a list of 69 underclass college players that were granted entry into the pool of prospects for the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft.
Of Florida's ten known draft entrants, third-year sophomores quarterback Anthony Richardson, defensive lineman Gervon Dexter Sr. and safety Rashad Torrence II qualified for the draft and have officially forgone their remaining collegiate eligibility.
There is no known deadline for upperclassmen to enter the draft, although official prospect all-star games will begin the first week of February and the NFL Combine will follow from Feb. 28 to March 6.
Florida has begun its offseason program, too, meaning its list of draft prospects is likely finalized. You can find each entrant below.
QB Anthony Richardson: A one-and-done as Florida's starting quarterback, Richardson entered this year's draft with consistent first-round projections despite some inconsistent play throughout the campaign.
While he struggled with decision-making and accuracy at times, Richardson's play-making abilities were frequently put on display thanks to one of the biggest arms and two of the fastest legs in college football. His passing generally sharpened as the season went on, too, as he limited his interception count to two in his final six games after seven in his first six.
Richardson finished his UF career with 24 appearances and 13 starts, accumulating 3,105 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and 15 interceptions with a completion percentage of 54.7. He added 1,116 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground at 6.9 yards per rush.
At 6-foot-4, 232 pounds, with great throwing velocity, deep accuracy, speed and power to make plays with his feet and polished pocket awareness, Richardson checks all of the boxes when it comes to the modern dynamic quarterback. An NFL team will take a chance on his talent earlier rather than later in the draft as a result with the hope of developing him into a star.
WR Justin Shorter: A five-star prospect in high school, Shorter transferred to Florida in 2020 following two seasons at Penn State. While he may not have lived up to his recruiting status, Shorter carved out a productive role with the Gators that soared to new heights with Richardson as his quarterback this past season.
In three campaigns with the Gators, Shorter compiled 95 receptions for 1,395 yards and eight touchdowns. The 6-foot-4, 223-pound wideout emerged as the team's deep-threat pass-catcher in 2022, averaging 19.9 yards per grab across 29 catches while ranking second on the team in receiving yards gained.
Shorter plans to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl on Feb. 2.
LT Richard Gouraige: A seasoned veteran who considered a sixth season of college, Gouraige spent five seasons with the Gators and appeared in 50 games, earning 41 starts primarily at left tackle but also at left guard during his redshirt freshman year.
Pro Football Focus credits Gouraige with his best season as a starter, out of three and a half, in 2022. He tied his career low in sacks allowed (one) and gave up his second-fewest pressures in a starting campaign (14) while posting a career-high run-blocking grade (65.9).
The 6-foot-5, 308-pound Gouraige will take part in the Senior Bowl on Feb. 4.
RG O'Cyrus Torrence: One of Florida's prized transfer portal pickups in the wake of Billy Napier's hiring as head coach over a year ago, Torrence gave the Gators an immediate upgrade on the offensive line thanks to his familiarity with Napier's scheme from his time at Louisiana and prowess both as a mauler and protecting the quarterback.
Torrence finished the 2022 regular season as PFF's highest-graded run-blocking guard in the FBS, earning a 90.2 grade out of 100, almost a full point higher than the next eligible player. He spent a total of 1,327 snaps in pass protection across his four-year, 46-start career at Louisiana and Florida and did not allow a sack once, per PFF, only giving up 20 quarterback pressures in that stretch.
The 6-foot-5, 347-pound right guard will play in the Senior Bowl on Feb. 4 and is widely viewed as a first-round prospect.
DL Gervon Dexter Sr.: One of two consensus five-star recruits to sign with Florida under former head coach Dan Mullen, Dexter, 6-foot-6, 312 pounds, much like Richardson, is an NFL scout's dream when it comes to his physical and athletic profile for his position.
While his stars didn't necessarily turn into sacks at Florida, his production off of the stat sheet and demand for double-team blocking was incredibly valuable for a UF defense that lacked its typical trench depth and play-making talent during his time with the program.
In three years, 37 appearances and 23 starts with the Gators — ranking as the 13th-most utilized defensive lineman in the FBS in 2022 at 53 snaps per game — Dexter compiled 120 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and four batted passes. He tallied a total of 51 quarterback pressures and 61 run defense stops in that span, per PFF.
EDGE Brenton Cox Jr. (dismissed in October): A former transfer from Georgia, Cox spent almost four years with the Gators including two and a half in a starting role before his October 2022 dismissal for undisclosed disciplinary concerns. He entered the draft immediately after being kicked off the team.
Cox, 6-foot-3, 252 pounds, compiled 100 total tackles, 12.5 sacks, 28.5 tackles for loss, five defended passes, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and 104 quarterback pressures (PFF) in his career at Florida. He also earned graduate status in August 2022.
He'll participate in the East-West Shrine Bowl on Feb. 2.
LB Ventrell Miller: The "alpha" of Florida's defense in 2022 according to Napier, Miller heads to the NFL after six seasons with the program and just over two as the Gators' starting middle linebacker. A season-ending injury in 2021 prevented Miller from reaching a third.
The 6-foot, 221-pound Miller racked up 240 total tackles, 7.5 sacks, 23.5 tackles for loss, an interception, eight pass breakups and two forced fumbles across his 49 appearances and 33 starts with the Gators. He proved to be an elite run-stopper and productive blitzer within the role and continually improved in coverage each year, all while manning the green dot in Florida's defense.
Miller will join Gouraige and Torrence at the Senior Bowl on Feb. 4.
LB Amari Burney: After changing positions several times in his early years at UF which led to inconsistent play, the 6-foot-2, 228-pound Burney settled into an outside linebacker role with the Gators in 2022 and produced career-highs in total tackles (79), sacks (four), tackles for loss (nine), interceptions (two), passes defended (six) and fumbles forced (two).
He finished his Florida tenure with 223 total tackles, seven sacks, 15 tackles for loss, four interceptions, 16 defended passes and two forced fumbles across 58 appearances and 22 starts.
Burney is set to compete in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 28.
S Rashad Torrence II: A class of 2020 signee, Torrence immediately emerged in Florida's safety rotation as a freshman when then-starter Shawn Davis was ejected for targeting against Ole Miss in Week 1. Torrence replaced Davis in the lineup for the rest of that game and played in all but two contests since.
It came as a bit of a surprise when Torrence entered the draft but he has the experience and production to argue the decision as a sound one. Across 34 appearances with UF, the 6-foot, 202-pound defensive back tallied 196 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, three interceptions, six defended passes and a forced fumble.
S Trey Dean III: There was a time when Dean was viewed by some Florida fans as one of the team's next great cornerbacks, back in 2018 when an injury to Marco Wilson pushed Dean into a starting role as a true freshman. Several position changes later, Dean didn't finish his UF career with the same hype he started with but proved over time to be productive as a downhill safety with the size and athletic profile NFL teams covet at defensive back at 6-foot-3, 207 pounds.
Dean accumulated 255 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, four interceptions, 24 pass breakups, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries in 61 career games, producing his best season in 2021 with 92 tackles, four TFLs, one interception and ten pass breakups.
Dean will play in the East-West Shrine Bowl on Feb. 2.
The 2023 NFL Draft will begin on Thursday, April 27 in Kansas City, Mo.
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