Billy Napier: Landing WR Caleb Douglas a “Big Win” for Florida Gators

The acquisition of Caleb Douglas for the Gators proves to be monumental in Florida's efforts to replenish the roster with big-bodied wide receiver talent.

The Florida Gators wide receiver position, after years of talent flowing plentifully in the room, has quickly grown thin after five departures to the NFL from 2018-2020.

Taking what was viewed to be a step in the right direction under Billy Gonzales, Florida earned three commitments from top-tier talents Jayden Gibson, Isaiah Bond and C.J. Smith. However, when the old staff piled out the door, as did the batch of prospects that were slated to re-supply the position group with talent and depth.

As a result, head coach Billy Napier and staff were behind the curve when it came to supplementing the need at wide receiver.

But, the Gators didn’t leave the 2022 class empty handed. In the closing stages, they homed in on Texas-based prospect Caleb Douglas to spearhead the start of talent acquisition at pass catcher, using a slew of previous connections made by the staff at their last stop.

“He was in our recruiting footprint at Louisiana,” Napier said when asked about Douglas. “We had evaluated him. Had a previous relationship with him and really felt great about the upside.”

Being one of the first offers from the Napier-led Gators, Douglas proved to be a priority target. Also recruited heavily by Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers, his recruitment came down to the wire, forcing the Gators to scrap with their cross-divisional foe for the skillful wideout.

Florida won that battle in the end, supplemented by the relationship he made with wide receivers coach Keary Colbert when he was at USC.

“Keary Colbert was outstanding in that situation. Had a previous relationship. [Douglas] was committed to Southern Cal at one point. Keary was there.”

Similarly to the last regime, Florida’s staff showed they’re going to treasure size and length at wide receiver. Expected to operate a balance offensive scheme — one that will lean toward rushing the football to open up the pass — Napier is looking to haul in willing-and-able “wide blockers” on the outside.

A notable piece of the puzzle will be the consistent presence of two tight end formations with big-bodied wideouts to complete the 12 personnel.

As a result, Douglas — who stood at 6-foot-3, 192 pounds during his official visit to UF — fits the mold of players the Gators will target in Colbert’s position group going forward.

Being what Napier describes as a unique athlete, Douglas is equipped with favorable traits of a moldable pass catcher. Pairing his size with strong hands at the point of attack, impressive body control and above-average acceleration and speed, Douglas has the potential to be a valuable possession receiver for Florida in the long haul.

“I think his best football is ahead of him,” Napier said. “Fantastic ball skills.”

In his senior season at Hightower (Missouri City, Texas) High School, he recorded 51 receptions for 984 yards and eight touchdowns, showcasing his ability to separate from defenders with and without the ball in his hands.

Likely to see time as a depth piece in the early days of his career in blue and orange — slated to add a few pounds onto his lanky frame in the meantime — Douglas has the potential to develop into a key piece of the offense in the future.

Nonetheless, in what Napier likes to call a “talent-acquisition business,” the staff feels confident that Douglas was the right fit for what they’re trying to build on and off the field at Florida.

“I think that he's the type of person, the type of athlete that we want at the University of Florida,” he said. “Great kid, great student, incredible family. So it's a big win. Very fortunate to get Caleb.”

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