Throughout the spring, one Florida early enrollee who has certainly opened some eyes and continually received praise from UF head coach Jim McElwain has been slot receiver Dre Massey.

It didn’t take too long for Massey, a four-star JUCO signee out of Goodman (Miss.) Holmes Community College, to start seeing reps with the first-team offense playing in the slot, but he’s benefitted largely this spring from seeing increased reps while last year's starter Brandon Powell (foot) has been sidelined and Alvin Bailey (back) has missed some time.

“I think Dre Massey has really done a great job,” McElwain said. “He probably benefited from Bailey not being here as far as getting a lot more reps at a couple different positions and we feel that he's really taken some steps forward at that receiver group. That's really good to see.

“He was able to really get in there. Some of that goes back to Wally Pipp, man. Right? That’s the way it is.”

Pipp, a former New York Yankee, notoriously lost his starting job to first baseman Lou Gehrig in 1925 - and the rest from there is history. If Massey continues to play at a high level and prove himself worthy of starter’s reps this season, that reference by McElwain could potentially ring true at Florida’s slot receiver spot.

Massey has consistently made an impact for Florida throughout the spring, drawing praise from McElwain at numerous press conferences for doing “a heck of a job.” When McElwain met with the media on Monday, he pointed to “four critical big plays” Massey made in last Friday’s scrimmage as he came back from a hamstring injury that kept him sidelined for a couple practices.

In Massey, McElwain sees a versatile talent who could contribute in the slot, on special teams and possibly at running back in the same vein as Powell during the 2015 season.

“He’s a guy that’s gonna be able to play multiple positions for us, one of those being a return guy, and I’m looking forward to seeing Dre catch it and go with it,” McElwain said.

"That guy looks like he runs fast. I haven’t timed him or anything, but he goes really fast when he’s running out there and it’s kind of neat to see guys competing to see who’s the fastest. And you know what the amazing thing about fast guys - fast guys aren’t afraid to run fast."

The 5-foot-9, 183-pound Massey’s agility and burst working in the slot has caught the eye early of wide receivers coach Kerry Dixon II.

"He's a guy you want to get the ball to," Dixon said. "He has that type of speed, he has that type of quickness, so he's somebody that can be a difference-maker for you. Just has to continue to grow and understand the game as a whole."

Massey’s route-running skills, ability to gain separation against opposing defensive backs and rack up plenty of yards after the catch have impressive new UF secondary coach Torrian Gray.

"The guy who kind of jumps out to me because of his speed is Massey," Gray said. "When he’s been out there he’s caught some balls down the seam and kind of separated from us a couple times. I’ve been impressed with him."

Junior cornerback Jalen Tabor also complemented what Massey has done up to this point this spring.

“I feel like he’s pretty good with the ball in his hands, pretty fast, pretty quick. A pretty good slot receiver,” Tabor said. “You definitely have to know where he’s at in the offense. They like to get him the ball quick, so he can make plays and use his speed.”

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