Scouting Report: New Florida Gators TE Arlis Boardingham

The Florida Gators added the final piece to the 2022 recruiting class when Birmingham (Calif.) athlete Arlis Boardingham committed to UF on Wednesday night, exactly a week after National Signing Day.

Boardingham is a versatile prospect that has the ability to play multiple positions on either side of the ball, but it looks like he will be sliding in at tight end to be coached by William Peagler.

When watching Boardingham’s film, the first thing that you notice is his ability to make plays with the ball in his hands. I have to admit, I didn’t expect to see a 6-foot-4, 220-pound prospect returning punts when I pulled up Boardingham's tape, but the first two clips are exactly that.

While he is not someone that is going to blow you away with how fast or shifty he is, Boardingham does a good job of getting up the field after securing the ball, using his size to shed tacklers and long stride to pull away. Boardingham is a very physical prospect, both at the line of scrimmage and after the catch as a receiver as well as on defense as a linebacker, and the latter should bode well when he moves over to tight end at the next level.

You don’t see Boardingham in-line as a tight end in his tape at all because he’s mostly split out wide as a receiver. However, I wouldn’t expect to see him in that role much at Florida either, as the TE/WR-hybrid has become much more prominent in college football and that is how Boardingham is likely to fit in.

Although he was a special talent for the position and it wouldn't be fair to compare the players, think of Kyle Pitts' role in Florida's offense when you imagine Boardingham's role.

Come on. This is sick. Arlis Boardingham steals ball. Birmingham 21, San Pedro 0. pic.twitter.com/ZxGRozuOjw
— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) November 28, 2021

Boardingham’s biggest strength is his ability to go up and high point the football to make contested catches. He uses his tall frame and long arms really well to box out defenders and is physical at the catch point often going up over players in coverage and pulling the ball away from them.

The one thing that was not very evident in Boardingham's film was of him blocking. With Boardingham set to be a tight end when he gets on campus, he will undoubtedly be asked to do that at the college level. He has shown plenty of physicality to suggest that blocking won’t be an issue, but he will have to develop technique and learn the intricacies of the responsibility before he can take the field for the Gators.

You can watch Boardingham's senior season highlights here.

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