Ricky Pearsall hypes up Florida wide receiver room

Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was the tip of the spear for the Gators’ passing game last year, leading the team in receiving yards and touchdowns last season. But heading into the 2023 season, Pearsall believes he’ll be surrounded by some newer dynamic playmakers on the outside.

“Yeah, I mean, I think we have a really dangerous group,” Pearsall said at SEC Media Days. “All these young guys that came in, they’re extremely talented. We already had a talented room even without them.”

The Gators lose standout wide receiver Justin Shorter to the NFL and the team’s leader in receptions last season Xzavier Henderson to the transfer portal, but return five of their top eight wideouts from last year’s team. And their returning group paired with their young incoming talent has Pearsall optimistic about the Gators’ pass catchers.  

“Now it just adds onto our talent and makes us even more stronger in there. I think all the young guys are going to come in and make impacts going on to this season,” Pearsall said.

The Gators’ 2023 signing class ranked No. 5 in the SEC and No. 13 in the country according to On3’s Industry Ranking and consists of three standout wide receivers. Aidan Mizell, Andy Jean, and Eugene Wilson III were each four-star prospects ranked within the top 75 wideouts in the country for their 2023 class, and in their short time in Gainesville, they have already impressed the veteran Pearsall.

“You got guys like Andy, Trey, Aidan, they’re all extremely talented in their own ways. Being a leader of the group, take them under my wing, make sure they’re handling everything like a pro every single day,” Pearsall said.

Size is the name of the game for Florida’s wideouts, as 11 of the 15 receivers on their roster stand at 6 feet tall or taller. Florida’s run game outshined their passing attack last season, averaging just 223.8 passing yards per game last season but ended the year as the SEC’s fifth-best rushing offense.

The Gators still do not know who their starting quarterback is, as Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz and Jack Miller continue to battle for the team’s starting job. But if Pearsall’s prophecy is true, then whoever is throwing passes for Florida this season should have plenty of veteran and young playmakers to get the job done in the passing game this upcoming season.