The Florida Gators brought in 21 new freshmen in the 2023 recruiting cycle, and many of them will see playing time in their first year in Gainesville. Here are the freshmen you need to know about heading into the 2023 season.
Freshmen to Know: WRs Eugene ‘Tre’ Wilson, Andy Jean and Aiden Mizell
Florida WR Andy Jean (6) – Ashley Ray/Florida Athletics
An aspect the Florida Gators offense has lacked the past four or five years is speed on the outside at the wide receiver position. The Gators coaching staff changed that drastically with the 2023 recruiting class, bringing in WRs Eugene ‘Tre’ Wilson, Andy Jean, and Aiden Mizell. Wilson, Jean, and Mizell were all four-star recruits coming out of their respective high schools.
You should expect Wilson, Jean, and Mizell to contribute both on offense and on special teams throughout the 2023 season. Jean and Mizell both have opportunities to start on offense when the season starts. Mizell will likely be the Gators’ go-to deep threat, as he was in the Orange and Blue Spring Game. Wilson has some ground to make up due to being a Fall camp enrollee, but he should still see plenty of playing time due to his explosive playmaking ability.
The Gators haven’t had talent at receiver like they do with these three freshmen in quite some time, so not only does 2023 look promising, but the future of the position does as well.
DL Kelby Collins, Kamran James, Will Norman, and T.J. Searcy
Florida DL T.J. Searcy (19) – Brienna Andrews/Florida Athletics
Much like WR, the Gators coaching staff placed a heavy emphasis on bolstering their defensive line depth with the 2023 recruiting cycle and it starts with four four-star players: Kelby Collins, Kamran James, Will Norman, and T.J. Searcy.
Collins, an Alabama native, was Florida’s highest-rated signee in the 2023 recruiting cycle, and the Gators held off Alabama to get him to Gainesville.
Kamran James and Will Norman committed to the Gators on consecutive days in August 2022. Searcy committed to Florida in July 2022 and was largely slept on the entire recruiting cycle. Searcy’s potential at the edge position is vast.
The size that these four players bring to the table should not go unnoticed. Collins stands 6-4, 272 pounds. James stands 6-6, 272 pounds. Norman stands 6-4 293 pounds, and Searcy stands 6-5 244 pounds.
It’s safe to say the Gators coaching staff has a type when it comes to recruiting defensive linemen, and you should expect to see all four guys contribute defensively for the Gators in 2023.
DBs Ja’Keem Jackson, Sharif Denson, Jordan Castell and Dijon Johnson
Florida CB Ja’Keem Jackson (2) – KatalinaEnriquez/Florida Athletics
If there is one thing you should know about the Florida Gators, defensive backs are always a priority when it comes to recruiting. Assistant head coach/ secondary coach Corey Raymond secured the commitments of three stellar CBs in Ja’Keem Jackson, Sharif Denson, and Dijon Johnson.
Jackson was the Gators’ second-highest-rated commitment in the 2023 recruiting cycle and rose up the rankings of many recruiting sites as his senior year of high school rolled on. Jackson will be a special teams player most of the season, but very well may play at corner as well.
Denson is going to play the nickel/star position for the Gators, and he also has a chance to get playing time due to the current competition between S Jadarrius Perkins and CB Jaydon Hill.
Safety Jordan Castell will be a special teams player and will likely be relied on to play snaps at safety due to the ongoing competition at the position.
Johnson is the interesting one of the three players because, like Eugene Wilson, he was a Fall camp enrollee and not an early enrollee, so he is behind the eight ball a bit when it comes to familiarity with the program. That being said, don’t be surprised to see Johnson play special teams or even get some snaps at CB.
OL Roderick Kearney and Knijeah Harris
Florida OL Knijeah Harris (77) – Ashley Ray/Florida Athletics
The Gators needed to bolster the interior of their offensive line after the departures they had from a season ago, with consensus All-American O’Cyrus Torrence departing for the NFL Draft and All-SEC guard Ethan White transferring out. The Gators coaching staff did just that by signing four-star OL Roderick Kearney and three-star OL Knijeah Harris.
Kearney played guard in high school, and Harris played center, but when they both arrived in Gainesville, they flipped positions, with Kearney getting time at center and Harris at guard.
Kearney’s transition to center was put on full display in the Orange and Blue Game, where he had some snap issues, but that can be fixed with more repetitions.
Harris has been getting first-team reps in Fall camp due to Baylor transfer Micah Mazzccua still recovering from a shoulder injury. If he isn’t healthy enough to play against Utah on August 31, Harris will be the starter at right guard.
Having depth along the offensive line is crucial in the SEC, and both Kearney and Harris will provide that and then some.
