Florida Gators will Benefit from New Scholarship Rules

The Florida Gators sit in one of the most talent-rich areas in the nation. The new scholarship rules will play in the Gators' favor.

The Florida Gators will benefit more than most with the expansion of scholarships from 85 to 105. / Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

When the NCAA settled the House lawsuit, an unexpected consequence will ultimately benefit the University of Florida football team. Right now, the scholarship limit sits at 85. Now, that limit has expanded to 105.

Granted, Florida doesn't need to use every one of those 105 scholarships, but it does set the school up for future successes in various ways. In the dog-eat-dog world of college football, being the one that wears the Purina shorts looks like a recipe for abject disaster.

A Moment

The lone downfall of the roster expansion doesn't really affect the Gators. Players that walk on will go the way of the walk-on or rolling your car windows down. If you look back, only three names jump out as walk-ons in Florida Gators football history: Chris Doering, Louis Oliver and Kerwin Bell. 

Now, while each carved out a legacy, there became exceptions and not the rule. Anomalous situations do not become patterns. Walk-ons become the stuff of legends and history. While they command respect, in the big picture, they don't affect Florida negatively in the slightest. But, why?

Welcome to Florida

If you throw a stone at a high school football from Escambia to Dade County, you will find football talent. Everything could be bigger in Texas, but football talent is more concentrated in Florida. As a result, the Gators could extend offers to players that could develop after a year or two on the middle of the depth chart.

The Gators have already benefited from the new rule with Tarvorise Brown joining the squad yesterday as a preferred-walk-on with the promise of a scholarship in 2025.

Finding talent in the Sunshine State for the signature athletic program (sorry, Noles) will never be a problem. Moreover, picking players out of 2,227 high schools exudes Halloween vibes. On top of that, the IMG Academy sits under three hours from campus. The school attracts top football talent from around the country, even some from overseas.

The Gators will continue to build up a fiercely sturdy recruiting network. With Miami unable to become the U of old, south Florida remains in play. Unchecked and unguarded the Gators will continue to stockpile players.

Portal Proof

if a player that does not receive field time at Florida, sits low on the depth chart, deciding to leave, the program will withstand any defection. Depth at Florida breeds competition. A third-stringer leaving via the portal, will be easily replaced. In all honesty, the extra scholarship provides incentive to stay. If the school offered a player who just wanted to play at Florida, holding that scholarship doesn't hurt.

The NCAA tried to democratize college football by limiting scholarships to 85-per team and keeping the powerful programs from hoarding talent. With the number back to 105, the rich will get richer.

And there are few programs richer than the Florida Gators.