'Speed and More Speed' Being Infused Into Florida's Wide Receiver Room
Like much of the Gators' roster heading into the third year of Billy Napier's reign as head coach, the wide receiver group is expected to infuse a healthy dose of underclassmen into the rotation following the exit of senior Ricky Pearsall to the NFL Draft and sophomore Caleb Douglas to the transfer portal.
The newcomers will include the likes of incoming true freshmen Jerrae 'Tank' Hawkins Jr. and Tawaski 'TJ' Abrams — joining the fold after signing the dotted line with the program on Dec. 20.
Florida seemingly prioritized one trait when targeting wide receiver talent during the 2024 recruiting cycle: "Speed and more speed," Napier said on National Signing Day.
Both Hawkins and Abrams fit that mold. They’re the poster children of it, in fact.
Hawkins highlights the incoming duo of wideouts, largely due to the extra gear he can hit with the ball in his hands, sporting a self-reported 4.25 40-yard dash and 10.45 100-meter dash.
"I think Tank is probably one of the more electric skill players in the country," Napier said when asked about the Hawkins on Dec. 20. "Took a huge step forward this year at IMG, just relative to adding some play strength, run the full route tree inside and outside, dynamic returner, phenomenal story coming down from West Virginia."
Standing at 5-foot-9, 165 pounds, Hawkins presents a smaller, slender frame usually considered undersized even for the average slot wideout in the SEC. However, Hawkins' move from his hometown of Wheeling (W.V.) to IMG Academy during his senior season allowed him to showcase his elite speed on a bigger stage to earn considerable interest from schools like Miami, Penn State and 15 others who offered him during his recruitment process.
He accounted for 483 yards and four scores on 18.6 yards per reception to pair with two carries for 25 yards and two touchdowns. His production as a return man is also translatable to the collegiate game.
The multi-level explosiveness — both on receptions at or near the line of scrimmage and deep down the field — allowed teams to overlook any concerns presented due to size, as his elusiveness and burst to quickly reach his full pace outweighed the stature.
"I mean, immediately, when you see this guy on ground level, there's just a different level of speed," Napier stated. "He'll immediately be the fastest player on our team, and I think he's got a chance to change the game."
Napier views Abrams similarly, although his build suggests a more versatile usage to move around the formation easily, as he did often at Dunbar High.
"TJ Abrams is almost a running back build. He's 190 pounds at 5-foot-10 and change. He's got 10-inch hands. He's long. He's a 33-inch arm for 5-foot-10. He's a big man, and he's got a ton of versatility," the Florida head coach explained. "10.5 100 meters, now that's rolling, especially at 190."
He totaled 1,169 yards and 14 touchdowns during his first three seasons at the prep level, consistently displaying the desired straight-line speed to separate from defensive backs when working on routes downfield.
Gators' wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales will likely look to utilize Abrams in several roles, with the potential for him to eventually operate as a Z-receiver to complement Hawkins out of the slot.
Adding the duo to a wide receiver room already containing the likes of fellow underclassmen Eugene 'Tre' Wilson III, Andy Jean and Aidan Mizell comes to the delight of 2024 quarterback signee DJ Lagway — who is anticipated to assume a rotational role for UF in relief of Graham Mertz in specific packages throughout his freshman year before taking over the starting spot at signal caller in 2025.
"That's a blessing, man. You gotta have guys around you," Lagway said on Friday. "You can't do nothing without guys around you. So, I feel like those guys are going to be tremendous and I just can't wait to play with them. Can't wait to throw and catch with them."
The young speedsters will inject much-needed elusiveness in space to turn the usual mundane gains in an offense frequently targeting the flats and short middle into explosive gains at a higher clip.
Florida aims to get the two passers acclimated quickly, physically and mentally, to take advantage of their skill sets.
They're expected to enroll in January.
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