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With the NFL Draft kicking off, Gators Territory takes a look at which draft hopefuls will be the most difficult to replace heading into the 2020 season.

Based on draft stock, cornerback CJ Henderson should be the obvious answer. He’s projected to be drafted in the first round and is the second-best corner, according to his prospect grade.

However, replacing Henderson may not be the hardest void to fill. The Gators have several defensive backs who can play at corner, with Kaiir Elam making the most sense as the heir apparent to Henderson.

Elam impressed during his freshman year and is now ready for a full-time role in the starting lineup. He stepped in for Henderson in the Orange Bowl and made a key fourth-quarter interception against Virginia.

Across 13 games and five starts, Elam recorded 11 tackles, three interceptions and four defended passes. Those numbers will continue to improve with more reps, and the Gators could be looking at another NFL-caliber corner in the coming years.

In addition to Henderson, three more defensive starters are gone in David Reese II, Jonathan Greenard and Jabari Zuniga. UF is already used to life without Zuniga, who missed seven games in 2019 due to injury.

Georgia transfer and former five-star recruit Brenton Cox Jr. is expected to take over for Greenard at the Buck position, while replacing Reese at middle linebacker will be the hardest task on defense.

Perhaps the most difficult player to replace isn’t an individual, but instead a group of players.

The Gators’ receiving corps during the 2019 season was unmatched, arguably one of the best WR groups the program has ever seen. They had the perfect combination of experience, talent and selflessness to produce seven 90-yard receiving games from five different UF players for the first time since 2007.

With the loss of Van Jefferson, Freddie Swain, Tyrie Cleveland and Josh Hammond, the Gators will have a lot of work to do to get their 2020 receiving corps up to par. Florida also lost Lamical Perine, a dynamic tailback who contributed to the team’s passing game last season by catching 40 passes for 262 yards and five touchdowns — the most by a Gators back since James Jones caught five in 1982.

Although the receiver room lost several veterans, it’s not empty. UF brings back Trevon Grimes, Kadarius Toney and Jacob Copeland, all of whom were integral parts of the passing scheme in 2019. Tight end Kyle Pitts will also return after finishing second on the team in receiving yards as a sophomore, behind only Jefferson.

The departure of four senior receivers will be a hit to this offense, but the return of Grimes, Toney and Copeland helps lessen the blow. Last fall, Florida had nine players who caught for at least 150 yards and 16 different players who caught at least one pass for positive yardage.

The Gators will miss a productive pair from the slot position in Hammond and Swain, who combined for 863 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. That one-to-two punch will likely turn into the Toney show.

Redshirt senior Rick Wells now has his chance to contribute at WR, and the Gators also have a handful of new faces to look forward to. Dionte Marks, Trent Whittemore and Ja’Markis Weston all redshirted as freshmen and will be counted on for depth next season.

The obviously lack the experience of the veteran players, but UF coach Dan Mullen has raved about their potential. Other new faces include Texas transfer Jordan Pouncey, Penn State transfer Justin Shorter and four-star signees Ja’Quavion Fraziars and Xzavier Henderson.

Those players have big shoes to fill in 2020, but the returning receivers can follow the blueprint left by last year’s group. A maxim preached by the four seniors was that it didn’t matter who came down with the ball or scored the touchdown, as long as someone was there to do it.

If Florida’s 2020 wideouts can have that mindset and learn to be selfless when it comes to catching passes, as Swain would say, “everybody eats.”