Comparing 2021 Florida Recruits to Former Gators: CB Jason Marshall Jr.

Who do Florida recruits resemble? What previous Gators do future Gators play like?

All of it. 

Jason Marshall Jr. has all of it. He is a five-star recruit for a reason. The cornerback out of Miami Palmetto, at least at the high school level, doesn't really display any weaknesses. 

He plays a brand of football similar to that of former Gator, and current New York Jet, Quincy Wilson. 

As far as size, Wilson and Marshall are the exact same height. Both stand at a lengthy 6-foot-2 for a corner. Wilson is currently close to 200 pounds as a fully-grown NFL player. Marshall as of now is 180 pounds. He has plenty of room, and time, to add "good weight" to his long and broad frame throughout his college career when it comes time to impress NFL scouts instead of college ones. 

On the field, two things in particular stand out when comparing these two players. 

Ball Skills

While Wilson was at Florida, his ability to locate a football and secure it was unique. He intercepted passes that most defensive backs would just deflect, such as this one-handed interception against Kentucky in 2016.

Quincy Wilson had his first #INT in the Swamp tonight.

@GatorVisionTV caught up with him after the game. #Gators pic.twitter.com/aHvmOz2HDY

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) September 11, 2016

Marshall displays a similar ability. Most defensive back recruits that are this athletic play wide receiver, but not all are special on both sides of the ball like Marshall. A significant portion of his highlights are of him playing on offense.

So naturally, when he is on defense, he looks smooth in the air. He looks comfortable catching the ball and giving it back to his team, and his box score backs it up as Marshall tallied five interceptions and 15 defended passes as a junior.

Return Ability

The other main way Marshall and Wilson relate is what they do with the ball while it is in their hands. Once it is theirs, it is tough to bring either down and keep it from being a defensive touchdown. 

Again, for Marshall, his receiver shows when he intercepts passes. He has field vision that typical corners don't have. Watch our editor Zach Goodall's tweet of some of Marshall's highlights. Notice that after he picks it off, the play is often far from over. 

Dive into #Gators 2021 CB commit Jason Marshall Jr.'s (@jasonjr3_) scouting report at @SI_AllGators.

"Smooth operator with the football in the air, able to high point and make plays after forcing a turnover with speed, vision and elusiveness."

Story: https://t.co/kMXkj3PUc1 pic.twitter.com/QsntgED6sO

— Zach Goodall (@zach_goodall) August 10, 2020

Wilson plays in an eerily similar fashion. Wilson's stiff arm on the run back to get into the end zone is not something you see from just any corner. 

After the game, Jeff Cardozo caught up with Quincy Wilson, who returned an interception 78-yards for a TD during Saturday’s victory. pic.twitter.com/FlBouGIsh5

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) October 16, 2016

Between the size and skills of Marshall, there is no reason to believe that he can't have as good, or better of a career than Wilson had when he wore orange and blue. For Gator fans, they could be looking at the next defensive back that brings them to their feet and then represents the Gators on Sundays.