2020 NFL Draft: Florida Gators prospects to watch in Week 1

Others to Watch

Lamichael Perine

Perine had some off-the-field trouble during the offseason, but he’s still an intriguing prospect that fits the mold of a change-of-pace option at the next level. Perine has good burst when he finds an opening and has the agility to make defenders miss in space. He has a pretty solid frame at 5-foot-11, 221 pounds but he needs to develop a little more physicality as an interior runner. Perine is still developing as a pass-catcher, but he continues to improve and his athleticism leaves upside for him to cause potential matchup issues against linebackers in man coverage. Perine is Florida’s primary offensive playmaker and he’ll have a tremendous opportunity to improve his stock with a strong performance against Miami.

Kadarius Toney

Toney is listed as a receiver, but the 5-foot-11, 190-pound junior spends plenty of time as an extra running back and takes carries on jet sweeps. Toney is a twitched-up athlete that possesses a ton of juice as a ball carrier, he has the burst and speed to break plays open in a hurry. His primary concern is ball security and his tweener role has left him a little raw as a receiver. He has a similar skill set to former Georgia receiver Mecole Hardman and, given his talent and lack of a primary target in the Gators passing game, Toney could be set to a similar rise to Hardman’s as well.

Tyrie Cleveland

Cleveland hasn’t been the most productive receiver during his time in Gainesville but he looks the part of a special teams ace at the next level. He has solid straight-line speed and gets to his top gear quickly, although he doesn’t possess much lateral agility. Cleveland tends to let the ball get into his pads and is prone to a lot of drops. He is tough after the catch and can regain his balance after initial contact, but he isn’t one to make defenders miss with his wiggle. He’s a physical, aggressive blocker and has already made an impact covering punts. While he likely tops out as a WR5-6/special teams gunner in the NFL, but he’s an intriguing player with an NFL future.

Nick Buchanan

A 6-foot-2, 301-pound fifth-year senior, Buchanan returns in the middle of the Gators offensive line as the lone returning starter from 2018’s unit. His upside is a bit limited and he’s undersized according to the general NFL height-weight standards. He possesses a really strong grip and the ability to lock on with his upper half, but he really needs to improve in the lower half. Buchanan struggles to consistently generate push at the point-of-attack and he’s able to cheat a little in the leverage game with a low center of gravity. Despite his limitations, he looks the part of a fringe roster guy that the next level.

Jonathan Greenard

Greenard, a 6-foot-4, 263-pound grad transfer from Louisville offers intriguing upside as a pass rusher. He was productive at Louisville and generally finds ways to win with his quickness coming off the snap. Playing opposite Zuniga, Greenard should have plenty of one-on-one opportunities to produce while refining his pass rush arsenal.

David Reese II

Reese is an experienced, rugged run defender that has held down the middle of Florida’s defense for over two seasons. He’s a downhill linebacker who closes with solid speed and power, but the 6-foot-1, 239 pounder has limitations that place a low ceiling on his pro upside. Reese struggles at times to maintain gap discipline and has issues consistently working through traffic to find the ball. He can cover the underneath middle in zone coverage but he doesn’t have the athleticism or fluidity to consistently match up with NFL-caliber running backs and tight ends in man coverage. He’s likely to see a lot of looks against both Deejay Dallas and Brevin Jordan in coverage and would go a long way to increase his stock with a strong outing.

Marco Wilson

Wilson, a 6-foot, 190-pound redshirt sophomore, started two games in 2018 before a torn ACL ended his season prematurely. In limited looks, he’s displayed intriguing traits in coverage. Wilson is a good athlete with fluid hips and quick feet. He’s a bump-and-run corner with a quick punch, and he does a nice job funneling the outside release to the boundary. He’s instinctive and displays impressive route recognition in off-man coverage. Wilson is a talented cover man that needs to improve in run support. He doesn’t always bring full effort and has displayed subpar space tackling ability and angles in pursuit up to this point, but he’s still young and has room to improve. Starting against a strong receiver duo in KJ Osborn and Jeff Thomas will give an early chance to exhibit his coverage talent, but the key is for him to get involved in run support more than he did during his shortened sophomore season.

Brad Stewart

Stewart, a 6-foot, 190-pound safety for the Gators, is a prospect that offers value as a box defender. He has average speed and doesn’t offer a ton of quickness. Stewart can survive when asked to play over the top in Cover 2 situations, but he’s at his best when he’s able to free-roam underneath. He is a tough, rugged run defender that comes downhill with a purpose. Stewart breaks down and strikes through the ball carrier and flashes impressive closing speed as well. Stewart is listed as a starter but he will be a part of a rotation of safeties. He will need a strong performance early on to set himself apart moving forward.