2024 WR Thread

Good plan.

 

Yep. 22 really good players generally beat 3-4 great players in football, IMO.

The pro game just typically doesn't work out that way because everyone at that level can play. College is a completely different animal. It is possible to have a competitive advantage at every position group at the collegiate level, and that's generally more sustainable than a few elite players.

 

Florida's been recruiting at a high level, but WR/Receiving TE is really the only position I'm worried about.

Need to get that passing game going. Hard to imagine the defense being a long-term issue with how we've been recruiting there and how bad we've been there.

We have a future QB, we're recruiting the line of scrimmage pretty well, and our running game has been good and should continue to be good. Just need to give our QB options at receiver and improve our passing game.

Maybe one more high end offensive tackle would be nice.

 

I get what you mean and that was really one of the reasons as to why I was skeptical of bringing Billy G back. He wasn't a great WR under Mullen but i'm going to wait and see who he brings in. Hopefully being under a more structured HC when it comes to HS/portal recruiting, he'll have more direction.

I'm not saying we need to be bringing in three 5* WR's every cycle, but give me a WR or two every cycle that you and everyone can SEE can be a contributor sooner rather than later. Florida shouldn't be taking projects at WR but that happened a lot with the last staff and it has really set us back.

 

Ideally, if you're a championship level program you want an Antonio Callaway/Amari Cooper type receiver who you can move all over the field and force defenses to circle with other complimentary pieces.

I think we have some good guys at receiver, but not on the level of those guys. And it doesn't necessarily need to be a receiver, a TE that is good enough can have a big impact as well but those are more difficult to find.

As fast as Hawkins is, and as valuable as he will be, I think he fits the role of a complimentary piece more. He can't be your primary option every game. Now, if you have 2-3 guys on the field just like him at the same time and scheme around that, that's a game changer... but that's hard to find as well.

 

I couldn't agree more. I like Pearsall a lot and I think he has the potential to be a 1k yard receiver but to me he's more on the line of Reche and Andre Caldwell more so than Ike Hilliard and Willie Jackson and there's nothing wrong with that but you feel as though he's best at your #2. I know we have high hopes, well I do, for Eugene and Andy Jean, but that's a TOUGH ask to come in and ascend to the top of the depth chart as true freshmen but with how the room is, it wouldn't shock me if that were to occur.

I agree with you too about the TE room. Defenitely need SOMEONE to emerge in that room to create mismatch problems. Do they have to be Troupe, Hernandez, Pitts? No, but if they can give us Cornelius Ingram production (30 for 380 and 1 td in 2006 and 34 for 508 for 7 td's in 2007) that'll do. If we see Zanders getting a high number of snaps as the season gets on, we're in trouble at the TE room.

 

We got three good receivers last year that should be at their peak for Lagway if he is good. We just got a te for his class also. We may not be far off at all from having a very potent offense in a couple years.

 

Zip and Boardingham are the only guys who could be a mismatch. Having 1 or 2 TE in the game so much we need more production from them, otherwise getting the receivers the ball and not getting the box crowded is that much harder. We need Boardingham to get developed quick and stay healthy or it will be that much harder to make this offense work with a more one dimensional qb.

 

AR wasn’t good for the te group either . He was 33% on passes less than ten yards. I think that hurt the tes that we’re playing as well as the rb’s catching passes as well. Etienne lined up at receiver a few snaps a game early in the year and AR never found him. I’d assume he can catch if given the opportunity.

 

2025 is the year to look toward. Lagway and Hawkins (and whoever else comes in this class) will be in their second year, Jean, Wilson, and Mizell in their third. The OL should be mostly gelled. ETN will probably be gone, but the running game should still be solid. That will probably be the year we really figure out if Napier is "the guy."

 

Let’s hope for someone who doesn’t stay suspended for half of his time with us.

 

I’m thinking this class will be wrapped up in a few weeks except for the remaining WR spot. I think it will be a flip and it might not happen till December.

 

If you get a chance to see Mertz' '22 games it is striking how much better he is than AR was at shorter passes, putting touch on passes, leading the receiver and giving the receiver the chance to run. Mertz has been under center, pistol and shotgun and is good with his footwork, and good presnap and reading disguised defenses. We will know whether he works out by his use of the pocket, pocket awareness, trusting his OL, not favoring certain routes, setting his feet, and overall consistency. I think his biggest problem is nerves, which is partly about trusting his OL. His OL was atrocious. He will definitely be an improvement on the perimeter, flats, and any shorter pass including slants.

 

Hmmm...very interesting.

 

He got... "behind the defense..."

 

I’ve got a whole book of checks. Get em moved in before they try to cash them though.

 

We need 33, plus an army to win the Natty.

 

Couple them with Mizzell and Wilson and we will have the fastest WR core in the country. All have legit track speed.