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Mid-year enrollee bonanza has Florida ready for future
This week marked the start of offseason workouts for the Florida Gators. It also signaled the arrival of 13 mid-year enrollees into the program.
The exceptionally large amount of new players is surely something head coach Jim McElwain has to be excited about.
Without question, addressing the quarterback position appeared to be a focus. Will Grier's departure -- coupled with Treon Harris' inconsistency and the unknown nature surrounding Luke Del Rio -- forced McElwain to bring in three quarterbacks during the offseason.
Purdue transfer Austin Appleby is a big, strong-armed signal-caller with more starting experience than any quarterback on the roster. Texas prospect Kyle Trask will add depth to the roster, and the highly-touted Feleipe Franks is the future of the program at the position.
New roommates @tyjordan58 @7Big_N1 thanks for welcoming me!
— Feleipe Franks (@18franks) January 11, 2016
Perhaps the most significant addition is kicker Eddy Pineiro. A last-minute poach from Alabama, the Miami native is arguably the top kicker prospect in the entire country. Landing his services was imperative for a special teams unit converting on only 7-of-17 field goal attempts in 2015.
It hit me 2day as I walked the campus of UF as a student athlete Lord I'm grateful for the opp. #DBU #ChompChomp ?? pic.twitter.com/RvzNBhINhr
— McArthur Burnett (@Pahokee_Beast) January 9, 2016
Junior college running back Mark Thompson should be able to help make up for the loss of Kelvin Taylor, and pass-catchers Dre Massey, Freddie Swain, and Josh Hammond will add both depth and speed to the wide receivers corps.
With Florida losing multiple players from its secondary this past offseason, the additions of defensive backs McArthur Burnett and Chauncey Gardner could help fill out the depth chart. Dually, talented linebacker David Reese out of Michigan also might see early playing time with a lack of tangible bodies within the 'backer corps.
All in all, McElwain and his staff did a tremendous job of addressing multiple needs. By getting these players in early, it will (in theory) expedite their transitions to the college game in multiple ways -- including from an academic standpoint, in terms of learning the playbook, acclimating to the speed of the college game, and also when it comes to a college conditioning program.
