Signing Day Capsule: Peach State safety Rashad Torrence

Name: Rashad Torrence

Class: 2020

Position: Safety

Height/Weight: 6-foot, 195 pounds

Location/School: Marietta (Ga.) Marietta High School

Signed to: Florida Gators

Why he chose the Gators: "Florida gives you the best of both worlds," Torrence told GT after his commitment. "If you want to be great in the classroom and on the field, there is no reason you shouldn’t want to go to UF. It’s a program where you have a chance to compete for a national championship every year."

Scouting Report: Given UF's need for help at safety and what Torrence can bring to the table, it wouldn't come as a surprise if he potentially gets early playing time in his freshman season with the Gators.

When evaluating Torrence, one aspect of his game that sticks out is how he plays in rushing or blitzing situations. Torrence licks his chops at the opportunity to tackle running backs as he will deliver big hits if he is able to generate enough momentum.

He's also not going to give up any additional yardage from the point of contact with a ball carrier as Torrence immediately stops them in their tracks. If required to blitz, Torrence is able to blow past offensive linemen and immediately get into the backfield to make a play.

In coverage, Torrence turns his hips well and keeps up with wideouts running downfield, which puts him in a perfect position to make a play on the ball. Torrence, who had nine pass deflections in his 2019 campaign, times his hits perfectly on pass breakups and makes solid, legal contact with wide receivers to prevent the catch.

If he does get beat on deep passes, the top-15 safety on Rivals can get himself back into the play using his great recovery speed. He's also proven himself capable of making plays in special teams, so it will be interesting to see if Florida uses him in that phase of the game as well.

Rivals Southeast analyst Chad Simmons has been covering Torrence since he was a freshman. Simmons says that along with Torrence being a natural leader, he plays with a high level of intensity anytime he steps on the football field.

"He's a guy that has always played with that edge, with a chip on his shoulder, with aggression," Simmons said of Torrence. "He's always looked for that big hit, that knockout tackle."

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