Florida Gators center Kingsley Eguakun signs with NFL team

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Kingsley Eguakun has landed with an NFL team. Florida’s starting center has reportedly signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent.

Eguakun received a $20,000 signing bonus and $225,000 base salary guarantee, according to the Detroit Free Press. He was a three-year starter, but an ankle injury limited him in 2023.

Kingsley Eguakun NFL Draft bio

Overview

Slightly undersized three-year starting center whose lack of leverage and play strength could make the NFL game a tough nut to crack. Eguakun has the quickness to get into space as a pulling center or second-level climber but needs to do a better job of dominating those targets once he strikes. He’s a fighter and a strainer at the point of attack but it’s unlikely to be enough when facing off against a willful NFL nose tackle. Bull rushers will cause trouble for him due to his lack of lower-body anchor, but his sets and punch are fairly well-schooled. Eguakun could be a later-round pick but might not have enough marks in his favor to make a roster.

Strengths

• Throws pass punch from a wide, balanced base.
• Hands are sudden and direct firing into targets.
• Displays dual-gap awareness throughout the set.
• Accelerates into space as a pulling center and locates his work.
• Strains hard to stay connected to base blocks.

Weaknesses

• Below-average bender who plays too tall to create needed leverage.
• Unable to dig defenders out of the A-gap with leg drive.
• Has a tendency to lean into blocks rather than bringing his feet under him.
• Rushers with active hands tend to overtake him in protection phase.
• Doesn’t have the natural anchor to withstand forceful charges.

Kingsley Eguakun career at Florida

2023: Made four starts at center while missing much of the season due to injury, totaling 246 snaps on the Gators offensive line… Started in Week 10 against Arkansas (Nov. 4) and Week 9 vs. Georgia (Oct. 28)… Returned to the starting offensive line in Week 5 at Kentucky after a one-week absence… Earned the start at center in the Week 3 victory over No. 11 Tennessee.

2022: Started in all 13 games at center… Member of the offensive lineman that didn’t allow a sack at Vanderbilt (Nov. 19)… Paved the way for 374 rushing yards against South Carolina (Nov. 12)… Anchored an offensive line that blocked for 594 total yards and five touchdowns at No. 11 Tennessee (Sept. 24)… Blocked for 217 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns against South Florida (Sept. 17)… Part of a line that did not allow a sack vs. No. 7 Utah (Sept. 3).

2021: Started in all 13 games at center… Helped the offense stay in the top-16 in total offense all year… Part of a line that only allowed 14 sacks/1.08 per game, tied for the seventh-lowest in FBS and second in the SEC… Blocked for Florida’s 717 total yards of offense vs. Samford (Nov. 13), which ranked second all-time in program history and third-most by a team this season… Anchored a line that led Florida to rank 23rd nationally in rushing yards per game (208.7)… Gators averaged 5.5 yards per carry to rank first in the SEC and fourth in the country… Named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll. 

2020: Appeared in all 12 games of the season as a reserve offensive lineman and special teams contributor… Named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll. 

2019: Appeared in two games as a reserve offensive lineman and redshirted… Made collegiate debut in Florida’s win versus Towson (Sept. 28).