Four Gators earned All-SEC honors in 2019, including the first team-trio of C.J. Henderson, Jonathan Greenard and Kyle Pitts.
Florida linebacker David Reese II was named to the AP All-SEC Second Team. The only returning player is Pitts, who led the team last year with 54 receptions for 649 yards and five touchdowns.
The SEC’s No. 1 tight end can become a two-time first team selection next season. Here are five more players who could potentially earn All-SEC honors in 2020.
QB Kyle Trask
Like Pitts, Trask is the top returning SEC player at his position. Last season he ranked second in the league behind LSU’s Joe Burrow in passing yards per game (245.1), ahead of Texas A&M Kellen Monds (222.8), USC’s Ryan Hilinski (214.3) and Auburn’s Bo Nix (195.5). Trask also threw for more touchdowns (25) than the aforementioned quarterbacks, as well as UGA’s Jake Fromm (24). Fromm’s replacement, Wake Forest transfer Jamie Newman, averaged 239.0 YPG with 26 TD passes. Trask had fewer interceptions (7) than Newman (11) and a better QB rating. Trask lost four senior receivers and his starting running back from 2019, but still has enough weapons for another big year.
WR Trevon Grimes
Say hello to the new go-to target for Trask in 2020. With seniors Van Jefferson and Tyrie Cleveland off to the NFL, Grimes is the now No. 1 WR for the Gators on the outside and will have a lot more balls thrown his way. Jefferson and Cleveland combined for 74 catches last year, with Grimes making 33 receptions for 491 yards and three touchdowns. The Ohio State transfer finished second on the team in yards per reception (14.9), including a career-long 66-yard catch against Vanderbilt. His big-play potential will be on full display this season, and more than a dozen of the SEC’s top receivers are gone from 2019.
LB Mohamoud Diabate
Diabate also had a big performance in the Vanderbilt game, tallying career-highs in tackles (4), sacks (3.0) and forced fumbles (1.0) to earn SEC Freshman of the Week. He made one start as a true freshman and played three different spots — middle linebacker, outside linebacker and Buck. Diabate could take over for Reese inside or replace Greenard at the Buck position, where Khris Bogle, Brenton Cox Jr. and Jeremiah Moon may also start. Regardless of where Diabate lines up, the former Rivals100 member will be a full-time starter in 2020 and should have more games like the one he had against Vandy.
CB Kaiir Elam
Elam made five starts as a true freshman, including the Orange Bowl. With C.J. Henderson skipping the game, Elam stepped in for the first-round corner and showed that he’s next up at DBU. The former Rivals100 member made an impressive fourth-quarter pick to seal Florida’s win over Virginia. Elam was named to the Coaches Freshman All-SEC Team after finishing with 11 tackles, three interceptions and four pass defections, tied for second-most on the team. With Trey Dean making the move to safety, Elam is expected to fill the void left by Henderson and start opposite Marco Wilson.
K Evan McPherson
Despite having the league’s best field goal percentage the past two seasons, McPherson has been snubbed of All-SEC honors both times. He had identical stats as a freshman and sophomore, hitting 17 of his 19 attempts (89.5 percent). The first team selection in 2019, UGA’s Rodrigo Blankenship, made just 81.8 percent of his kicks. McPherson’s competition this year will be Tennessee’s Brent Cimaglia, who is back for his senior season after making the All-SEC second team. Cimaglia’s field goal percentage was 85.2, up from 76.9 in 2018.