Gators that could see their stock rise this spring

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The best part about spring football is that it provides an opportunity well before the season to evaluate where you are at, both individually and as a team.

The Gators don’t have a ton of turnover from their successful 10-3 2018 season, but there are always things to figure out and sure up. That’s where spring benefits the most.

Florida has plenty of new faces to go along with returning ones that didn’t see much of the field or have much of an impact last season. Here are a few that could see their stock rise as we head into spring.

RB - Dameon Pierce

Pierce flashed his abilities throughout last season and filled in nicely as the number three back in Dan Mullen’s offense, finishing with 434 yards and five touchdowns on 69 carries (5.9 avg.).

He was the nail in the coffin in most games, putting away defenses with fresh legs late in games. However, with Jordan Scarlett now headed for the league he will be asked to feature much more as the number two back in the rotation behind Lamical Perine.

His explosiveness and strength make him a force between the tackles, but facing defenses in the first and second quarter is a different challenge than in the fourth, but he is certainly capable of building on his freshman year, and it starts this spring.

TE – Kyle Pitts

It took a while, but over the course of the season, Pitts became the best pass-catching tight end on the roster. As the season went on, he featured more and more in key situations where his 6-foot-6, 246-pound frame could be used to an advantage.

However, he only ended up hauling in three catches for 73 yards and one score last season. That will certainly change in 2019.

He practiced with the receivers toward the end of last season and could very well do the same in the spring, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be the tight end on the field. His versatility is what separates him and makes him so dangerous as a pass-catcher.

Defenses simply cannot match up with his size, speed and strength. Keep an eye on the rising sophomore. You could be seeing a lot more of him this upcoming fall.

WR – Jacob Copeland

Copeland didn’t see much action in 2018 due to injury, but in practice and in the last few games his athleticism and skill were evident. He only hauled in one catch on the season for 16 yards though amongst the crowded group of receivers.

That may not change all that much this season because the receiver room is still stockpiled with veterans, but Mullen likes to rotate guys in and out to keep them fresh and Copeland could move up the depth chart with a solid spring.

Where he might be able to really make his mark though is on special teams. He returned one kick last season, but could take over the reigns if he proves himself able in the spring. Keep an eye on Copeland. His athleticism makes him playable on multiple fronts.

OL – Chris Bleich

Bleich is set to compete for a starting spot this season as the Gators retool their offensive line after loosing four starters from a season ago. Unlike Richard Gouaige and Griffin McDowell, Bleich was able to see action in four games last year as opposed to two.

That simply has to do with Bleich playing guard and filling in because there was a need for it. That experience though is valuable and he was able to snag it.

Bleich and Noah Banks will be battling it out for the right guard spot, but Banks battled some injury concerns heading into the bowl game so that could open the door for Bleich to earn more reps.

Florida will need all of their young linemen to step up this spring and improve their stock, but Bleich in particular will have the opportunity to lock down that right guard spot.

DB/LB – David Reese

Reese only appeared in two games in his first season in Gainesville on his way to a redshirt year, finishing with just four total tackles, but his athleticism, versatility and talent won’t keep him off the field for long.

Reese has the ability to play either linebacker or defensive back. Like Mullen, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham likes to rotate a lot of guys and Reese would be a solid reserve linebacker or DB and special teams contributor.

He is too good of an athlete to keep off the field. If he can continue to learn the system he is a guy we could see much more of next season.

Buck/OLB – Mohamoud Diabate and Andrew Chatfield

I decided to combine these two because they are in a similar boat.

Diabate is an early enrollee just arriving on campus but could be asked to step up quickly. With Jeremiah Moon’s injury there is only two listed rush ends Florida has in transfer Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Chatfield.

If Diabate can pick up the game quickly, it will go a long way in his development. His 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame is perfect for the position and he has solid speed and athleticism off the edge.

Transitioning to the college game is no easy task, but if he can figure it out it will only benefit his stock.

Chatfield has impressed in his short time at Florida and after redshirting last season is set to take that next step. He only appeared in two games a year ago, earning just one tackle and 0.5 tackles for loss.

Chatfield isn’t guaranteed anything, but he will be the only one competing for the vacant rush end spot that was on campus last year. If the videos we have seen from this offseason are any indication, Nick Savage’s workout program only helped Chatfield.

The American Heritage alum has great athleticism and has a great opportunity this spring to jump up the depth chart.

DL – Tedarrell Slaton

Slaton was set to be a possible breakout player last season, but it never accumulated for him. However, he was spotted in a highlight video posted recently looking much more nimble and in better shape.

Slaton still has a great skillset with his size and power at 6-foot-5 and over 300 pounds. He has solid quickness for his size as well and if he can figure out his endurance issue this spring we could see a completely different player.

DB/LB – Amari Burney

It seems like Burney has been on every list for this upcoming spring, but for good reason. He presents a unique blend of skills that make him hard to keep on the sideline.

His athleticism alone stands out, but his coverage skills and ability to locate the football make him a fit at both linebacker and defensive back. He was spotted working with the linebackers and would fit in well there as a solid part of the rotation.

Another spot that needs to be filled is at nickel. Trey Dean was slated to be the next guy to replace Chauncey Gardner-Johnson according to Mullen on National Signing Day, but Burney could certainly work into that mix as well.

His skills as a defensive back and tackling ability make him a great candidate.