Who Will Emerge Next at Wide Receiver for the Florida Gators?
For the second straight season, Florida is losing its top pass catchers to the NFL.
Kadarius Toney and Trevon Grimes led the Gator receiving room after combining for more than 1,500 yards and 20 total touchdowns in 2020. It’s a repeat of the 2019 season, when Florida lost its top four wideouts in Van Jefferson, Freddie Swain, Josh Hammond and Tyrie Cleveland.
After that quartet left, questions swirled as to how head coach Dan Mullen and wide receiver coach Billy Gonzales would replace the production. Toney and Grimes answered those questions, further cementing the ability to develop pass catchers in the Gators program.
Now, the same questions are being raised, but with increased expectations to match the level of production that was there over the past two years.
Who will be the guys that step up and fill the void created by Toney and Grimes, and even the production tight end Kyle Pitts had? Who will emerge as Emory Jones’ go-to pass catcher? Will it be a veteran who’s been waiting for their turn? Or will it be a younger player who steps up and makes an impact?
The veterans
Jacob Copeland is back for his redshirt-junior season, and will be looked at as the number-one receiver. Copeland had 23 catches for 435 yards and three touchdowns while being the fourth target for Kyle Trask in 2020.
Can the fourth-year player from Pensacola step up and be the number one guy this season? He certainly has the physical tools to do so. His route running has sharpened significantly from his freshman to sophomore seasons, and is very good at disguising his routes until he makes his breaks. He also demonstrated excellent ability to create when plays break down. An example that stands out is his touchdown catch against Tennessee when Trask scrambled out to his right, and Copeland pivoted to the back pylon after running an in-breaking route and got himself open.
The biggest, most glaring area he can improve on is his hands. Drops have plagued Copeland throughout his career, drawing the ire of Gator fans throughout his career. It’s especially frustrating considering making contested catches are his specialty, and then drop a pass with nobody around him.
Rick Wells is coming back for a sixth season after emerging in 2020 with 12 catches. He was sparingly used, and filled in valiantly when Pitts was down with injury during the season. While he may not be the most talented player on the Gators roster, he provides a deep trove of knowledge of the offense and can mold the younger players into more productive assets to the team.
While he may only be in his second season as a Gator, Justin Shorter is poised to take a Grimes-like jump in 2021 and be a huge part of the Florida offense. While Copeland will more than likely be the “Z” in the offense, Shorter will probably take over the “X” role in the offense.
His 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame should make him a valuable downfield threat, and an ideal go-to guy in the red zone - an example being his touchdown catch versus Arkansas.
However, Shorter's performance against Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl left a lot to be desired. He only had two catches as the team's top option in that game and had more drops than catches. If he’s to live up to the five-star potential he came into college with, he’ll need to polish his game significantly.
Young up-and-comers
Depth shouldn’t be an issue for the Gators at receiver, and some of the younger pass catchers on the team may prove to be some of the most valuable.
Gainesville native and third-year player Trent Whittemore is getting first-team reps in the slot, and is poised to take over for Toney in the that role of the offense.
While Whittemore doesn’t have the elusiveness or quick-twitch ability that Toney does, Whittemore still brings an intriguing skill set to the table. His route running is precise for a player who stands at 6-foot-4, and he has one of the largest catch radiuses on the team, just go watch his full-extension grab against South Carolina again.
Xzavier Henderson is in line for a breakout season as well. The sophomore flashed in his freshman campaign, showing the straight-line speed that made him a prized recruit for the Gators. While he only caught nine passes, he saw the field a fair amount and started to earn the trust of Trask on deep balls.
His understanding of spacing needs to improve some, but with a full offseason of work, this shouldn’t be an issue going forward. He already showed some chemistry with Jones in 2020, catching his first career touchdown against Arkansas from him.
Ja’Quavion Fraziars and Ja’Markis Weston are two names to watch as well. While they seldom saw the field until being thrust into the Cotton Bowl due to opt-outs, they each possess intriguing skill-sets.
Fraziars is a big-bodied receiver who could turn into a strong jump ball threat and win tough one-on-one matchups. He struggled against Oklahoma, but at the same time it was his first time seeing serious playing time in his UF career.
Weston is a burner who has yet to find his footing in the offense, but his speed could lead to a role in 2021. Generally, downhill speed is something the Florida receiving room has lacked, and the combination of Weston and Henderson may give Florida the ability to take the top off of defenses without having to scheme them open.
