Thoughts on the Florida Gators updated roster
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — As talking seasons heats up this week in Nashville, Tennessee for SEC Media Days the Florida Gators updated their football roster. With 83 scholarship players as of July 17, the Gators’ new roster showed what the players have done with Mark Hocke in the weight room.
Here are some of the Florida Gators that gained the most, lost the most, and what we make out of all of it.
Defensive backs
This flew off the page for me. Across the board, the Florida Gators’ defensive backs gained a ton of size. Florida’s safeties average 205 pounds and the cornerbacks average 188 pounds. They’re a big group and one that has impressed in the weight room.
CB Ethan Pouncey up from 164 to 173 pounds
CB Aaron Gates up from 190 to 197 pounds
S Ja’Markis Weston up from 225 to 232 pounds
CB Devin Moore up from 188 to 195 pounds
CB Jalen Kimber up from 179 to 185 pounds
S Jadarrius Perkins up from 186 to 192 pounds
CB Jason Marshall Jr. up from 197 to 203 pounds
CB Jaydon Hill up from 191 to 197 pounds
S Cahron Rackley up from 180 to 185 pounds
Desmond Watson
Watson enrolled at Florida and was listed at 400 pounds on the official roster for the 2021 season, his freshman year. He was listed at 415 as a sophomore and is now listed at 439 pounds. Watson doesn’t move like a 400-plus-pound human. He’s agile, quick, and played 386 snaps — 10th among all defensive players for the Gators. He was graded the third-best defensive player on the defense by Pro Football Focus and Florida’s best run stopper.
His weight has been an issue. It’s a deeply personal thing for Watson and something he continues to battle. To opine on what those issues are or shame him for a number on a roster page is something I won’t do. He’s been productive for Florida on the field and he along with the staff continue to work on his weight.
Aidan Mizell
Mizell is listed at 6-2 and 167 pounds. Some thing think that’s a little lean. If you’re around the team Mizell does look lean next to his teammates. He’s young. He’s an elite speed guy and often times guys that have relied on their speed on the field have been hesitant to add mass.
Is he too small?
Heisman winner DeVonta Smith enrolled at Alabama in 2017 and was listed at 6-1, 165 pounds. He won the Heisman in 2020 listed at 6-1, 175 pounds. Mizell will be fine.
Winning in the trenches
It’s a line of scrimmage league and the Gators are massive along the line of scrimmage. The offensive line averages 321 pounds with Jordan Herman’s 6-8, 371-pound frame topping the list. The interior defensive line averages 332 pounds. Memphis transfer Cam Jackson (6-6, 371) stands outs in that group.
Look at the two-deep at defensive/nose tackle:
Chris McClellan: 6-3, 325
Cam Jackson: 6-6, 371
Desmond Watson: 6-5, 439
Caleb Banks: 6-6, 323
That’s nearly 1,500 pounds of human in the middle of the defensive front and an average weight of 364.5 pounds.
Gators who gained and lost the most
Gained
OL Bryce Lovett up from 311 to 330 pounds
ILB Justin Pelic up from 207 to 225 pounds
DL Cam Jackson up from 355 to 371 pounds
QB Micah Leon up from 211 to 224 pounds
DL Will Norman up from 284 to 293 pounds
EDGE Princely Umanmielen up from 245 to 254 pounds
CB Ethan Pouncey up from 164 to 173 pounds
Lost
OL Jalen Farmer down from 330 to 310 pounds
S Dakota Mitchell down from 198 to 185 pounds
OL Christian Williams down from 322 to 310 pounds
OL Desmond Watson down from 449 to 439 pounds
EDGE Justus Boone down from 272 to 263 pounds
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