OFFER: Use promo code "50UFSave" to receive 50 PERCENT off an annual subscription!

GatorsTerritory brings you another roundtable discussion from our team of writers.

This week, Corey Bender, Zach Abolverdi, Conner Clarke, Joseph Hastings and Lauren Reynolds share their thoughts on Justin Shorter's potential impact now that he has a waiver, if Kyle Trask is a top-20 player nationally, and UF's most improved player in 2020.

Bender: Trevon Grimes and Kadarius Toney will more than likely kick off the season with a starting role, while Jacob Copeland has made a strong case for an increased workload as well. With that being said, Shorter does possess the physical makeup and skill set Billy Gonzales covets from his pass catchers. Pitts and Grimes will likely be the go-to targets in 2020, but I believe Shorter could transform into a number two or three option at receiver. Also, it will be interesting to see how Dan Mullen utilizes Toney, but I think much of Shorter's competition will come against the likes of Ja'Markis Weston, Trent Whittemore and Ja'Quavion Fraziars, who have all turned heads during camp. If Shorter can fend off those up-and-comers, don't be surprised to see him rack up a flurry of scores this fall, especially in the red zone.

Abolverdi: With Shorter getting the green light to play, I expect him to crack Florida’s receiver rotation and make some plays this season with his 6-foot-4, 230-pound frame. With that kind of length and size, he can be a weapon at wideout and position coach and co-offensive coordinator Billy Gonzales will find a way to involve him in the passing game. Shorter is behind the others in terms of knowing the offense, but Gonzales likes to rotate his receivers and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him working with the second-team unit.

Clarke: I think Shorter gives UF another legit outside receiver option opposite Trevon Grimes and allows Jacob Copeland to play more in the slot. The former five-star recruit is a physical specimen and has solid top-end speed to stretch the defense, make tough contested grabs and even out-physical smaller defensive backs when going up for the ball. With his frame and athletic ability, I also believe he could play some of the Kyle Pitts role from last year and allow Pitts to play more of a traditional tight end role in 2020.

Hastings: I do not see Shorter having a huge impact on Florida's wide receivers corps for the 2020 season. In my opinion, he'll be a No. 1 or No. 2 option this time next year, but won't have as large of a role for this fall. He'll most likely see the field, however, in every game, and could see an increased role as the season progresses. I can envision the Gators using Shorter with Kyle Pitts and Trevon Grimes in red-zone packages, where they just throw a bunch of height and size at defensive backs.

Reynolds: First and foremost, the addition of Shorter will add depth to the WR position and give Gonzales more than enough options there. After losing four starting wideouts to the NFL this past season, there was uncertainty about whether or not Mullen & Co. would have the same level of numbers and weapons in their WR corps. Shorter's waiver pretty much shuts down those concerns. As a transfer player, he also brings experience on the college level to a receiver room void of senior leadership.

Bender: Rivals' Mike Farrell recently served up his top-25 players for the 2020 season, and slotted quarterback Kyle Trask at No. 18. The redshirt senior checks off a whole lot of boxes and projects well over the long haul, but I would have likely ranked him somewhere in the mid-to-late 20s. I'm very high on the Lone Star State native, and there is a good chance he lives up to Farrell's ranking as well, but I believe there's more certainty when discussing some additional players across the college landscape. Kyle Pitts was Trask's go-to target in 2019, and the two should flourish during their final go-around in Gainesville, but the Gators also lost four wide receivers to graduation. Will that have a significant impact on Trask's productivity? I believe he will manufacture another stellar season under Dan Mullen's guidance, but in regard to the preseason rankings, I would have ranked him just outside the top 20.

Abolverdi: I agree with Farrell’s ranking of Trask as a top-20 player nationally. Quarterback is the most important position in all of sports, so being the SEC’s top returning signal caller carries some weight. With Ohio State’s Justin Fields and Southern Cal’s Kedon Slovis not playing this fall, it’s hard to argue against Trask as college football’s fourth best quarterback behind Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, North Carolina’s Sam Howell and Texas’ Sam Ehlinger. You could make a case for Notre Dame QB Ian Book, who led the Irish to an 11-2 record last season, but Trask averaged more passing yards per game and had a better QBR rating.

Clarke: I wouldn’t say Trask is top 20 going into the season, but I do believe he has a chance to play his way into that category with a strong showing this fall. Though I am very high on Trask with a full offseason as the guy at Florida, there are still some question marks about his game. He made some questionable throws last year that should have resulted in turnovers, so I would like to see him improve his decision-making and command of the offense. I think the biggest question for him, though, is his arm strength. A few of his few throws floated on him and didn’t show great velocity or the ability to push the ball down field, although he did play most of 2019 on a bad knee. Nonetheless, I wouldn’t put him inside the top 20 just yet.

Hastings: Absolutely. This may be unfair, but I always choose to rank quarterbacks higher than other position groups with these types of questions. A signal caller can single-handedly determine the fate of a team's season, and I think Trask will take it up a notch this year to get UF to the SEC Championship. Remember, Trask put up eye-popping numbers last season after not starting the first three games, not being the No. 1 QB in offseason practices and, as if anyone can forget, not starting a game since his freshman year of high school. He’s losing four wideouts from 2019 and will be sharing more snaps with Emory Jones, but I believe Trask will prove himself to be a top-20 player nationally this fall.

Reynolds: Among SEC quarterbacks last year, Trask finished second behind LSU's Joe Burrow in completion percentage, total passing yards and touchdowns. What makes his case for me is his poise in the pocket and operation of Mullen’s offense, despite this coming season being just his second as a starter. The circumstances surrounding his success are unique, but he impressed against defensive juggernauts such as Auburn and LSU in 2019. If Trask continues to perform how he did last year and elevates his game to the “graduate level stuff” Mullen has mentioned in fall camp, he will cement himself as a top-20 player by the end of 2020.

Bender: Considering the buzz coming out of camp, I'm rolling with Trey Dean, who now lines up in the back end of the defense. Safeties coach Ron English recently said Dean is "growing exponentially" at safety and manufactured a strong showing in the most recent scrimmage as well. The Peach State native lined up at cornerback and nickel during his first two seasons in Gainesville, and flashed promise when doing so, but struggled as a sophomore after changing positions. English added that Dean is much more sound from a tackling and physicality standpoint, but also buying in and "managing his ego." The junior is certainly battle tested, and if all the camp buzz ultimately translates to Saturdays, he will be in the running for the Gators' most improved player of 2020.

Abolverdi: Dean will be a strong defensive candidate for this category with his switch to safety, but Malik Davis is my pick for most improved player. Mullen singled him out after Florida’s first scrimmage, saying he had returned to his freshman form in 2017. This year was his first full offseason healthy with strength coach Nick Savage, and Davis feels better physically and stronger with the addition of 10 pounds. Mullen also praised his ability as a pass catcher, a void that was left by Lamical Perine. His departure will open the door for Davis, who said he’s ready to refresh the memory of anyone who’s forgotten about him. “It pumps me up.”

Clarke: I will have to go with Davis on this one. He has generated a lot of noise in fall camp and will definitely get more chances with Perine leaving for the NFL. Davis was having an excellent 2017 season, averaging 6.7 yards per carry, before season-ending injuries cut his freshman and sophomore campaigns short. He just hasn’t looked the same, but now it sounds like the Davis of old is back. He discussed finding his comfort zone last week and appears ready for a bounceback season. Davis has been commended on his route running by Mullen, who likes to showcase backs that have the ability to flex out and catch out of the backfield.

Hastings: I believe Dean will be the most improved player for the Gators this year. English called Dean more mature this year and said he’s “really not arrogant like he was before.” Also, if you have seen the recent picture of Dean floating around, you can tell he has certainly put on a lot of muscle and been hitting the gym hard in the offseason. English confirmed Dean is now “jacked up.” I think he heard the criticism from the fans and the media, and will be locked in with his new role at safety.

Reynolds: I'm going with Dean on this one. After a relatively impressive freshman year, Dean seemed to hit a plateau in 2019 and even regressed at times when he was playing STAR. He should have the opportunity for a turnaround season this year at safety, the position he played in high school and perhaps his best fit in the secondary. He has the size and skill set to find a permanent home in the back end. And with him showing more maturity and embracing his seniority status, you should see a new and improved Dean this fall.