Florida added a new member to its 2021 class Tuesday, landing a commitment from offensive tackle Adrein Strickland.
He’s the third linemen to join the class and the 18th overall prospect landed by offensive line coach John Hevesy since the 2018 cycle. Ten of those 18 additions have been three-star prospects, including Strickland.
UF has already received contributions from two of those players, with Chris Bleich starting eight games last season before transferring to Syracuse to be closer to home. Ethan White, another three-star guard, stepped up in Bleich’s absence and made one start as a true freshman.
Two of the eight four-star linemen landed by Hevesy never suited up for the Gators in Issiah Walker and Wardrick Wilson, while Noah Banks medically retired before the 2019 season due to epilepsy.
Hevesy’s position group was young and inexperienced last year after losing four starters from 2018. As Florida looks to improve up front next season, a history lesson on Hevesy shows that fans need not worry about the development of the offensive line.
He signed 34 linemen during his nine years with Mississippi State (2009-17), including 24 three-star recruits and six two-star recruits. Five of Hevesy’s nine classes produced a pair of linemen that became two-year starters for the Bulldogs, and every OL class had at least one multi-year starter.
The success of Hevesy’s six two-star signees is remarkable. Four of them started 34 or more games in their MSU careers, Jamaal Clayborn made 25 starts and Michael Story appeared in 34 career games with three starts.
Hevesy’s best two-star recruit was guard Elgton Jenkins, a second-round pick by the Green Bay Packers in the 2019 NFL Draft. Six of Hevesy’s linemen at MSU were drafted.
Bulldogs offensive tackle Derek Sherrod was one of two first-round picks in 2011 coached by Hevesy (Mike Pouncey), and three of his other four MSU selections were three-star recruits in Gabe Jackson, Justin Senior and Tyre Phillips.
Dating back to his first stint at UF, Hevesy had at least one current and/or former player earn All-SEC honors for 10 straight years (2005-14). He has coached 11 players who amassed 16 All-SEC selections, including eight at Mississippi State and one in each of his first six seasons in Starkville.
Former Bulldogs Shaq Calhoun and Martinas Rankin are Hevesy’s most recent All-SEC picks, and his last offensive line at MSU ranked first in the SEC in sacks allowed (13). That starting five featured Calhoun and Jenkins, both two-star recruits.
Hevesy is well known for producing the Pouncey twins, but equally impressive is the development and success of his two- and three-star MSU linemen. With much better talent to work with at Florida, more All-SEC selections and draft picks should be on the horizon for Hevesy.