10 Observations: Florida Opening Day Depth Chart

10 Observations

by Mark Wheeler
4 comments

Please Read: Welcome to the new-look Inside the Gators

On Monday evening Florida football released their first depth chart of the 2023 season.

Inside the Gators shares these 10 Observations.

BILLY NAPIER PRESS CONFERENCE

GRAHAM MERTZ PRESS CONFERENCE

JASON MARSHALL JR. PRESS CONFERENCE

10 DEPTH CHART OBSERVATIONS

  • Kingsley Eguakun is listed as the starting center, but he is also listed as questionable for the Utah game with a lower-body injury. The other two players listed on the injury report are quarterback Jack Miller III, who has been sidelined for a couple of weeks with a shoulder issue, and defensive tackle Chris McClellan, who also has a lower-body injury.
  • It is a toss-up between receiver and safety for which is the youngest position group. Eight of the nine receivers listed on the depth chart are either freshmen or sophomores. At safety five of the six listed players are underclassmen.
  • While there is young talent at receiver, it’s telling that among the nine players listed on the depth chart, one (Taylor Spierto) is currently a walk-on and another (Kahleil Jackson) was a walk-on who was awarded a scholarship over the summer.
  • Speaking of safety, if you read our Insider Reports from spring and fall practice, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you that Kamari Wilson isn’t starting. We were told he didn’t have a great offseason and continues to have issues in coverage.
  • What does come as a surprise is Tony Livingston sitting atop the depth chart at the second tight end position. Arlis Boardingham was limited for most of fall camp in a non-contact, black jersey, but to see him third on the depth chart and Livingston at the very top is a bit unexpected.
  • Last year only two out of the 22 starters on the season-opening depth chart were brought in by Billy Napier & Company:
    Ricky Pearsall
    O’Cyrus Torrence
  • This year that number has swelled to 12 out of 24:
    Ricky Pearsall
    Caleb Douglas
    Micah Mazzccua
    Damieon George Jr.
    Graham Mertz
    Montrell Johnson
    Cam Jackson
    Caleb Banks
    Shemar James
    Miguel Mitchll
    Jordan Castell
    Jalen Kimber
  • Only four players are listed as starters at the same spot they were listed on last year’s season-opening depth chart:
    Ricky Pearsall
    Kingsley Eguakun
    Dante Zanders
    Jason Marshall
  • A fifth player, Princely Umanmielen, has been a starter each of the last two seasons opener’s, but at different positions.
  • Only three scholarship upperclassmen don’t appear on the depth chart at all:
    Jakobi Jackson
    Riley Simonds
    Jaelin Humphries

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4 comments

  1. Are you not surprised Desmond Watson isn't the starter? I guess it doesn't matter that much who starts because he's going to get a bunch of snaps but it surprised me that Cam Jackson beat him out. That's a signal to me that our DL might be pretty decent.

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