GT Roundtable: Zach Evans impact, UF transfers and O-line attrition

Gators Territory brings you another roundtable discussion with our team of writers.

This week Zach Abolverdi, Corey Bender, Connor Clark, Joseph Hastings and Lauren Reynolds share their thoughts on Zachary Evans to TCU, potential impact transfers and Florida’s attrition along the offensive line.

Abolverdi: UF still has a stable of five backs without Evans, but he could have been the program's first five-star RB signee since Ciatrick Fason. Instead, the Gators added a five-star talent in Miami transfer Lorenzo Lingard, but their streak of signing a HS prospect is over. That can’t happen again in the 2021 cycle. UF had signed a four-star RB recruit every year since 2006, though Mike Blakely (2011) transferred and Brandon Powell (2014) played WR at UF.

Bender: Reeling in an elite talent like Evans would have certainly bolstered the running back room, but it's safe to say many UF fans were not getting ahead of themselves and brimming with confidence during the home-stretch. If anything, his absence from the roster will likely be felt more next season and beyond. The Gators have enough talent for the upcoming season to mix things up, especially if Lingard is granted immediate eligibility. Dameon Pierce looks to solidify the No. 1 spot as a junior, while Malik Davis possesses plenty of game experience as well.

Clarke: In the immediate future the miss on Evans isn’t a big one. However, it could have an affect in the long run. Pierce and Davis are going into their junior years (RJR for Davis), which means both could be gone after this season. And with the addition of Lingard, we could see Iverson Clement or Nay’Quan Wright opt to transfer if carries are hard to come by. If that were to happen, UF would only have 2-3 backs returning for the 2021 season.

Hastings: With Evans enrolling at TCU, Greg Knox and company will turn the page and try to sign a top-flight running back in their 2021 class. The staff is in pursuit of rising senior prospects like Donovan Edwards and UGA pledge Lovasea Carroll. Expect the Gators, however, to possibly expand their RB board in the future. Even if they do add a highly-rated recruit to their backfield, I still believe the recruiting woes along the offensive line will prevent them from maximizing the potential of any running back that joins their roster.

Reynolds: At running back, there isn’t any real reason for concern after missing on Evans. Sure, he would have made a nice addition to the offense, but one really good freshman isn’t going to single-handedly turn Florida’s run game around — even a five-star. Right now, this is a pass-heavy offense and I think it will stay that way, especially with no spring ball. With the Gators returning both Davis and Pierce and adding Lingard from Miami, there’s enough weapons in the backfield for the style of offense they run.

Abolverdi: Brenton Cox Jr., the UGA transfer who sat out last season, is the obvious choice at the Buck position. But if eligible, I think Penn State transfer Justin Shorter will make an impact at receiver. He’s a former five-star recruit and UF lost four senior wideouts, so the opportunity is there. Stewart Reese, a grad transfer and three-year starter at Mississippi State, would also upgrade the offensive line if he ends up at Florida.

Bender: If Lingard had already received the green light from the NCAA, my choice would be much more difficult. However, with his status still in limbo, I'm rolling with Cox, another five-star standout from high school. Todd Grantham has to replace both Jonathan Greenard and Jabari Zuniga on the edge, and Cox possesses the skill set and physical makeup to make a splash at either position, and possibly start. As a true freshman at Georgia, Cox accumulated 20 tackles and three pass breakups.

Clarke: If he gets cleared, I think it could be Lingard. Dan Mullen’s offense sorely missed an impactful running game last year and it made Florida extremely one dimensional. Should Lingard be available, he will help turn that around with improved offensive line play. He provides elite speed and the home-run threat that has been missing from the Gators backfield for quite some time. Lingard will get a chance to show everyone why he was a top-15 overall recruit in 2018.

Hastings: I’m definitely going with Lingard for this one. Assuming he’s eligible and 100 percent healthy, I expect Lingard to have an immediate impact in Florida’s offense because of how well he’ll complement Pierce. Pierce will make it a long day for defenders due to how difficult he is to bring down, and Lingard is a threat to take it to the house against a tired and worn-down defense later in games. The luxury of having a pair of running backs capable of being effective in two different ways is something Mullen is certainly looking forward to.

Reynolds: With four of Florida’s top receivers from 2019 gone, Texas graduate transfer Jordan Pouncey could also make an impact in addition to Shorter. Pouncey didn’t get many opportunities with the Longhorns, but Mullen’s offense focuses on spreading the ball out and not always going to the same guy. Given the need at WR, Pouncey should be able to carve out a role for himself in the rotation. And on top of his desire to catch more balls, his last name will also be a motivating factor. As the cousin of Florida greats Maurkice and Mike Pouncey, Jordan has a lot to live up to.

Abolverdi: With Issiah Walker transferring to Miami, attrition has cost the Gators five linemen from their last three classes. The good news is that UF signed 15 linemen in those classes and still have 14 currently on the roster, with 11 returning for 2021. So Florida is fine from a numbers standpoint, but offensive line coach John Hevesy will need to make up for the four-star signees lost the past two years in Walker and Wardrick Wilson.

Bender: The outcome is rarely ever positive when a player removes themselves from a roster, especially in the trenches where depth is a necessity. Like with Evans, Walker's absence will be felt more in the coming seasons. Familiar faces return along Florida’s offensive line, though changes could be on the horizon due to the season-long struggles in 2019. Reeling in Joshua Braun during the home-stretch was massive for Mullen's staff. I expect him to be in the two-deep as a true freshman and evolve into a big-time player for the Gators.

Clarke: Any time you lose depth it’s a cause for concern, but especially along the offensive line in the SEC. Since arriving in Gainesville, Mullen and Hevesy have done a great job of addressing and fixing Florida’s numbers up front. However, losing a signee in each of the last three classes isn’t ideal. Fortunately, they brought in enough prospects at the position that it shouldn’t hurt them for the foreseeable future. But that trend can’t continue.

Hastings: There’s no sugarcoating the fact that Florida needs to recruit offensive linemen at a higher level in future classes. Adding Walker and Braun last cycle was a step in the right direction, but now Walker is gone. With Micah Morris committed to Georgia, Amarius Mims being a long shot and other top OL prospects looking elsewhere, UF may once again end up with a class that doesn’t feature an offensive lineman in the Rivals250. The team has good depth at the position, but recruiting victories over Alabama, Georgia and other powerhouse programs will be necessary for the Gators to return to the promised land.

Reynolds: Cohesiveness has been the biggest struggle on the line for the Gators. A lot of that stems from the shuffling of the starting lineup, due in large part to Chris Bleich’s transfer during the 2019 season. Some players are having to line up at multiple positions, so consistency would greatly benefit the group. Florida still has enough depth to be able to make that happen, but losing top signees such as Wilson doesn’t help Hevesy’s cause.