I talk to a couple friends about the Gators. We talk about the OL a lot of the time. One of them did a six year review of the OL; one year at a time. I get a lot of info from him. There’s not a lot going on here right now. Kind of the pre spring lull. So I’ll bring them over. The first one is a first look at OL heading into spring. The next six are the breakdowns for 2019-2024. The six breakdowns detail how we got where we are heading into spring 2025. My friends and I have really enjoyed it- very nerdy, lol. It’s become like a seven part streaming show. It brings the history of the OL since 2019 together and leads us into the spring of 2025. He completed the first six, he’s gonna drop (lol) 2024 tomorrow. 2019 and 2020 don’t have anything directly to do with this year's OL. 2021 is only directly relevant because that’s the freshman seasons for Barber and Slaughter. I liked those years because they showed the ebb and flow of the OL. Some good things and some bad things happen. 2022 starts the heavy relevance, it’s also CBNs first year. Here is I of VII. 2025 Spring Preview: ____________________________________________ 2025 Pre spring OL depth chart: LT: Barber, Westphal, Dice*, Medlock* LG: Harris, Portnjagin, Macoll, Homa^ OC: Slaughter, Kearney, Zandamela, Stevens^ RG: George, Lovett, Waites, P Louis* RT: Manuel, Jones, Wangoy, Faircloth^ ______________________________________ *KR = Key Reserve *Returning 11 of the top 12 OL from 2024 and the top 2 prospects. For a net return of 13 of the top 14 OL. BCD not returning, he graduated. He’s currently projected as a 3rd to 5th round pick. The NFL likes big OTs that can move. LT: RSR Austin Barber- Started all season. SEC OL of the Week in week 4. LG: JR Knijeah Harris- Started all season. May be the best NFL prospect on the OL OC: RSR Jake Slaughter- Started all season. Returning All America. RG: RSR Damieon George- Started 10 games. Missed other 3 games due to injury RT: RSR Devon Manuel- Only appeared in 3 games at LT due to injury. Played 417 snaps at OT for AR in 2023. Graded as high as Barber in his limited snaps. KR: RSO Bryce Lovett. 290 snaps in season. Started at RT in the bowl game. Lead the OL with 73 snaps. FR. All-SEC and AP-All bowl Team. KR: RSO Roderick Kearny. Played 96 snaps in 2024 Registered an offensive PFF grade of 80. Played 42 snaps in the bowl game. KR: Kamyrn Waites- Appeared in all 13 games. Started at RT the first two games then was exclusively at OG the rest of the season. Washed out at OT, graded out well at OG RFR OT Fletcher Westphal and RSO Caden Jones look to get PT in 2025 as the next guys in-line at OT. Westphal is penciled in as the back-up LT and projected 2026 starter. Highly regarded RFR Jason Zandamela, Enoch Wangoy and Noel Portnjagin look to break into the rotation. Only question is at RT. We have Manuel penciled in as the starter, but we don’t know what’s going on with him since he stopped playing in 2024. We’ll find out soon enough. LSS, the goal for UF in 2025 is to have the best OL in the nation. It’s not often a team returns the talent and experience UF is returning next year. The secondary goal is to build as much depth as possible for 2025 and 2026. The entire starting OL may have to be replaced in 2026. CBN shouldn’t ignore that when 2025 starts. I’ll post part II, 2019 Review, when I get home:
We're looking at a hystotically great Gator OL in 2025 after having a very good OL in 2024. So, yeah, the two OL coaches are workin' out.
