Gators get chance to shine at Pro Day
Sixteen draft-eligible players will showcase their abilities in front of NFL decision-makers at 11 a.m. today in Gainesville.
GAINESVILLE — The Kyle-to-Kyle connection formed the foundation of Florida’s nation-leading passing offense in 2020.
Gators quarterback Kyle Trask and tight end Kyle Pitts are now off on their own, each making his case to NFL teams prior to the April 29-May 1 draft.
On Wednesday during the school’s pro day, the two cogs of one of the best passing combinations in school history will join forces again.
Trask can benefit from the continued exposure and opportunities, while Pitts can further solidify his position as one of the 2021 draft’s most intriguing prospects.
COVID-19 restrictions forced the NFL scouting combine to allow colleges’ pro days to handle the staging of in-person workouts.
Mockingly referred to by some as the “Underwear Olympics,” the combine served as an invaluable tool for the league’s 32 teams to evaluate players while often overshadowing each school’s pro day.
But the spotlight will be on Gainesville on Wednesday, where
the Gators will give a total of 16 draft-eligible players the opportunity to showcase their abilities in front of NFL decision-makers. The SEC Network will televise UF and LSU’s pro days beginning at 11 a.m.
The day will kick off at 9:30 a.m. with measurements and physical testing. The broad jump, shuttle drills and 40-yard dash will begin at 11:30 a.m. Position workouts begin at 1:30 p.m.
The nine Gators who’d been invited to the combine are considered the best of the bunch, led by Pitts, Trask, receivers Kadarius Toney and Trevon Grimes and offensive tackle Stone Forsyth. Each of those five players could be drafted during the first three rounds.
A chance exists Pitts could be among the draft’s first three selections. The sure-handed 6-foot-6 Pitts was an All-American and generational talent at Florida, averaging 17.9 yards per catch and recording 12 touchdown grabs last season during just 7 ½ games.
Pitts recently ran the 40 in 4.46 seconds during a training session. Some mock drafts even project Pitts to be the No. 2 pick behind Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. No Florida player has been drafted higher than defensive tackle Gerard Warren, whom the Cleveland Browns selected No. 3 in 2001.
No Gator, and perhaps no player in college football, raised his stock last season as much as Toney. UF’s playmaker extraordinaire evolved into a go-to receiver, running crisp routes and catching every pass thrown his way.
The 6-foot, 193-pound Toney, a former high school quarterback star in Alabama, led the Gators with 70 catches and 984 receiving yards while scoring a total of 12 times, including once rushing and another on a punt return.
Pitts and Toney each benefitted from Trask’s accuracy, decision-making and football IQ. Those tools along with Trask’s NFL prototypical size (6-5, 240 pounds) and production (nation-leading 43 touchdown throws) have the attention of teams.
Yet it remains unclear where Trask, a 2020 Heisman finalist, fits among a deep quarterback class that includes several first-round prospects — Lawrence, BYU’s Zach Wilson, Ohio State’s Justin Field, Alabama’s Mac Jones and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance.
Trask could turns heads Wednesday throwing to Pitts, Toney and Grimes. The trio finished last season with 151 catches for 2,343 yards and 31 touchdowns.
Like Trask, the 6-4, 218-pound Grimes, a Fort Lauderdale native who caught nine touchdowns in 2020, aims to improve his draft status with a good time in the 40 while showcasing his leaping ability and explosiveness.
The 6-9, 312-pound Forsyth is another intriguing prospect due to his size and improvement during his five years in the Florida program. The Athletic projects the Winter Garden product to be the No. 89 prospect in the draft.
After returning to school rather than explore his NFL options, defensive back Marco Wilson enters pro day a mystery, with much to prove. Wilson once appeared a surefire professional but ended his Gators’ career with questions marks about his playing ability and character.
The performance of the 6-1, 190-pound Fort Lauderdale native steadily declined as his Florida career went on. A torn ACL suffered in September 2018 against Kentucky was a setback, but he seemed to overcome it during the second half of the 2019 season.
The 2020 season featured a bevy of blown coverages and missed assignments by Wilson and the rest of the Gators’ secondary.
Wilson’s career ended in infamy. Officials flagged him for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty during his final game in the Swamp after he threw LSU receiver Kole Taylor’s shoe 25 yards downfield following a third-down stop against the Tigers.
Awarded a first down, underdog LSU continued to drive for the game-winning field goal during a crushing 37-34 loss for UF. Wilson then was beaten several times during the Gators’ 52-46 loss to Alabama in the SEC title game before opting out of the Cotton Bowl.
Others expected to participate include defensive linemen Kyree Campbell,T.J.Slaton,AndrewShuler and Marlon Dunlap Jr.; offensive linemen Brett Heggie and Martez Ivey; long snapper Brett DioGuardi; kicker Evan McPherson; receiver Kaliff Jackson; and defensive backs ShawnDavis,BradStewartJr.,Donovan Stiner and Nick Oelrich.