Two Gators Shining Bright In a Dark Season

Through four games, two Florida Gators are leading the way, according to Pro Football Focus.

Florida Gators defensive back Jason Marshall Jr. (3) tackles Samford Bulldogs wide receiver Preston Bird (84) during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, September 7, 2024 against the Samford Bulldogs. The Florida Gators won 45-7 over the Bulldogs. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun] / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

Amidst a doom-and-gloom early part of the season for the Florida Gators, two players currently find themselves sitting first in Pro Football Focus grading at their respective positions. 

Starting center Jake Slaughter and starting cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. have not only been top SEC players this season, but they have also been the best at their position in the entire country according to PFF’s grades through four weeks. 

The Best Pass Blocking Center in the Business

For Slaughter, it might only be half the equation, but he ranks first nationally among all centers this season in pass protection. Per PFF’s grades on pass protection through the first four weeks of the season, Slaughter has graded out at 90.3. This grade is almost four points better than the fifth-ranked center in the country. 

Jake Slaughter is the No.1 graded center in pass protection through four weeks, according to PFF.

1. Jake Slaughter: 90.3
2. Pete Nygra: 89.0
3. Jared Wilson: 88.0
4. Ivan Escobar: 87.1
5. Jakai Clark: 86.9

— Nick Marcinko (@marcinko_nick) September 25, 2024

As mentioned though, passing is only half the equation.

The other half is run blocking, which Slaughter is also more than capable of doing for the Gators. Heading into last weekend’s matchup against Mississippi State, he ranked within the top-20 centers as a run blocker, and his grade could only have gone up with how they ran the ball against the Bulldogs. 

Furthermore, with his dominant performances over these first four weeks, Slaughter has played himself onto the watchlist for the Rimington Trophy. This trophy is awarded annually to the most outstanding center in college football. 

With a 78.4 @pff_college pass blocking grade and 78.9 run blocking grade (7th-highest among all FBS centers) in 2023, Jake Slaughter from @GatorsFB has only allowed 2 QB sacks across 328 pass blocking snaps, #rimingtonwatchlist pic.twitter.com/QVjQQ940a9

— Rimington Trophy (@rimingtontrophy) September 19, 2024

It's certainly an impressive beginning for the Gators center in 2024.

Former Five-Star Finally Figuring Things Out

It has been an up-and-down career for the former five-star corner. Marshall Jr. began his time with the Gators with lots of promise and praise, but things started to turn into a roller coaster for him over the past couple of years. 

However, with the addition of new secondary coach Will Harris, Marshall Jr. looks to be finding form at the right time. When being left alone on an island, Marshall Jr. has been the highest graded corner according to PFF. He currently sits at a 90.2 grade while in single coverage.  

Highest Graded CB in Single Coverage this season:

🐊 Jason Marshall Jr, Florida: 90.2@GatorsFB pic.twitter.com/aJEMSKoZBh

— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 25, 2024

With the way Marshall Jr. has played in 2024, one has to think he has quickly risen up draft boards for both NFL teams and the media. During fall camp, he described this season as his "contract year."

And depending on how much has impressed NFL scouts, there could be an argument for him being one of the first corners taken off the board in the draft. There is, however, still a full season left to play. 

Overall, it is a positive sign for the Gators having these two on their team, and if it can get all 10 of the other players on offense and defense to get in line with Slaughter and Marshall Jr., then maybe things could look different over the final eight games of the season.