The Florida Gators football team saw many players come and go over the offseason. With fall camp just a few months away, it’s time to start thinking about who the best players on the teams are heading into the 2023 season.
Zach Abolverdi of Gators Online recently released his power rankings for Florida’s 2023 roster, and there are as many surprising names inside his top 20 as there are predictable.
At No. 1, Abolverdi goes with wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who considered leaving the program for the NFL after the end of last season. Another year in the Swamp (and some NIL money) was too much to pass up, though, and Pearsall returns as the clear No. 1 receiver on the team. The departures of Justin Shorter (NFL draft) and Xzavier Henderson (transfer portal) mean that he’s the only returning starter out wide as well.
Of course, the biggest question heading into the season is who will be Florida’s quarterback, and Gators Online is going with Graham Mertz here. The Wisconsin transfer sits at No. 10 on the power rankings, which is a bit lower than most fans would like to see. Anthony Richardson would undoubtedly top this list, and Pearsall’s success is tied to Mertz’s.
Fortunately, Florida’s running game is expected to be elite once again in 2023, with both Montrell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne returning. Both are in Abolverdi’s top five, but perhaps not in the order you’d expect. Click here to see the entire top 20.
Over here at Gators Wire, it’s a tough call between Pearsall and Johnson when it comes to naming Florida’s top players heading into the season. Pearsall gets the nod here from us, but Johnson should play a significant role as a junior back that’s ready to step into a leadership spot on the team.
Cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. has the talent to be in this conversation as well, but he hasn’t shown enough at the college level to warrant consideration over those who have (Pearsall, Johnson, etc.).
