How Gators Freshman TE Heze Kent is Making Noise Since Stepping on Campus

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Listed at 300 pounds as a four-star tight end prospect in the 2026 class, Heze Kent’s positional future was uncertain when he signed with the Florida Gators. With over 2,000 career receiving yards at Brunswick High School (GA.) at an unheard-of size for his position, many had labeled the signee a ‘project’, seemingly destined for a transition to the offensive or defensive line at the next level.

Instead, the 6-foot-6 Kent has remained at tight end since joining the Gators this spring, with no signs of a potential change for the extreme positional outlier any time soon.

“A lot of guys can see him as a project tackle, or this or that. Like, the guy’s here to go play tight end, that's what I tell him, and he can definitely do it,” Gators tight ends’ coach Evan McKissack said. “Man, tremendous hands, can run, you know, a great – I don't even like to call it project – like he's a great football player, he's got it in him…he's been working hard and his weight’s going down, really excited about some of the terms he's making.”

Since getting to campus, Kent has been tasked with adjusting his unique weight as the athletic newcomer hopes to find an early role with the Gators. With a long way to go till his size would be considered ‘normal’ at the tight end position, the freshman has already seen improvement as Florida’s staff pushes him to make such strides.

“I think the biggest thing, so we like to say, ‘Okay, let's get below 300, let's get to 295, let's get to 290’. I think those things right there, implementing those challenges, even all throughout the course of the season, just makes the player grow,” McKissick said. “And he's answered those challenges, and the key is consistency, though, like, that's always the biggest thing… It's just about his ability to freaking go face each challenge each day.”

Gators newest commit Heze Kent
🐊6’6, 310 LB ATH!!!
🐊top 150 composite recruit, 9th ATH
🐊Interest from Miami, Texas, FSU.
🐊1,194 total yards, 16 TDs as JR.
🐊Questions on if he will play TE or OL.
🐊an anomaly of a prospect⬇️(#7) pic.twitter.com/hI6I9d8xQL
— Dylan Olive (@DylanOlive_UF) July 12, 2025

As Kent battles such challenges physically, the talented freshman has begun to make a strong first impression with a new staff that did not have much influence in his recruitment. Despite dealing with injuries, the noise around the once top-150 signee has slowly gotten louder as spring camp nears.

“Heze freaking – I'll tell you this, this week and last week, he's freaking combined two really good weeks now. He's doing a good job… He sends me a picture every day of him getting on the cardio deck, like, that's a part of his goal sheet, or IUP, and my way of holding him accountable,” McKissack told Florida Gators on SI. “We start off with spring goals. We don't just start off with a long-term goal. And so he's gradually losing weight, and, you know, biggest thing, he's got great athleticism, and he had some injury issues, and he's… finally kind of gotten over those humps, and is way more available in workouts.”

Kent likely has a long way to go in his physical transformation at Florida, though seemingly starting off his early time at the university well. With a clear plan in place for the rare athlete and despite being labeled as a more raw project, the unconventional receiving weapon will still

seemingly have a shot at earning playing time in year one, however, with the upcoming spring practices a chance for him to continue to impress.

“I think the biggest thing is understanding, when a guy's a freshman and they come here, like, you're coming to play here,” McKissick said on the plan for the young tight end. “You're not coming just to be a Florida Gator, you're coming to play for the Florida Gators.”

Kent will be hard to miss when Florida takes the field for spring practice, with the talented rookie one of the more intriguing players on the Gators' roster heading into 2026.

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