Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – If you're Gators veteran center Kingsley Eguakun, the last several months must have felt like being one of those Wal-Mart greeters.

Eguakun knew he would be saying goodbye to fellow starting offensive linemen Richard Gouraige and O'Cyrus Torrence a season ago, but there was a chance veterans Ethan White and Michael Tarquin would be back. Of course, when the transfer portal opened, White and Tarquin moved on. Tarquin is now at Southern Cal and White, who appeared headed to USC, is not playing due to a career-threatening injury according to reports. Meanwhile, the Gators dipped into the portal and added Damieon George Jr., Lyndell Hudson II, Micah Mazzccua and Kiyaunta Goodwin to complement their incoming class of freshmen. But over the summer, Goodwin departed for personal reasons.

While the offensive-line room has featured ample comings and goings of late, Eguakun returns as the veteran (and familiar) presence, though he was slowed at the end of training camp due to a lower-body injury. What will all of it mean for the Gators in 2023? Mostly, this year's offensive line looks much different than last year's in the first season for head coach Billy Napier.

Napier is confident the revamped unit can prosper if injuries don't deplete its depth.

"I feel really good about it,'' he said following the first scrimmage. "I would say the depth of the interior, I think we've got a handful of really good players. The first few tackles are really good players, and then I think it's all about who's the third tackle. We have some talented young players that are starting to come alive."

Eguakun remains the constant, having started 26 consecutive games. The Gators could use him to get healthy as soon as possible, and then have the rest of the unit build stability around him to slow down that revolving door.

IN THE MIX 
 

POS.	PLAYER	HT./WT.	YEAR	HOMETOWN/PREVIOUS SCHOOL
OT	Austin Barber	6-6.25/305	R-So.	Jacksonville/Trinity Christian Academy
OT	Damieon George Jr.	6-6/361	R-So.	Houston, Texas/Alabama
OT	Lyndell Hudson II	6-5/329	R-Sr.	Brooksville/Florida International
OT	Kamryn Waites	6-8/364	R-So.	Dallas, Texas/U of Louisiana
OT	Jordan Herman	6-8/371	R-So.	Fort Mill, S.C./Hutchinson (Kan.) CC
POS.	PLAYER	HT./WT.	YEAR	HOMETOWN/PREVIOUS SCHOOL
C	Kingsley Eguakun	6-3/302	R-Jr.	Jacksonville/Sandalwood HS
C	Jake Slaughter	6-4.5/301	R-So.	Sparr/Trinity Catholic
C	Roderick Kearney	6-4/287	Fr.	Jacksonville/Orange Park HS
POS.	PLAYER	HT./WT.	YEAR	HOMETOWN/PREVIOUS SCHOOL
OG	Richie Leonard IV	6-1.5/310	Jr.	Cocoa/Cocoa HS
OG	Micah Mazzccua	6-4.75/337	Jr.	Philadelphia/Baylor
OG	Jalen Farmer	6-4.5/307	R-Fr.	Covington, Ga./Eastside HS
OG	Knijeah Harris	6-3/325	Fr.	Port St. Lucie/IMG Academy

BEST PLAYER
Based on his reputation and production at Baylor, Mazzccua gets the nod here. Mazzccua played mostly left guard for the Bears and according to Pro Football Focus, graded out as the second-best guard in the Big 12 Conference a season ago. He started 10 games and his run-blocking grade was the best in the conference via analytics from Pro Football Focus. Mazzccua battled a shoulder injury in the spring and lined up at right guard the majority of preseason camp. He can play either side and provides the Gators with experience, toughness and talent on their rebuilt offensive line. NEWCOMER TO WATCH
The offensive line is loaded with newcomers the Gators will need to step up and contribute in 2023, but Lyndell Hudson II is a player who made a late push for playing time in camp. Hudson spent the early part of camp in concussion protocol but has worked his way into the rotation at right tackle with Damieon George Jr. Both transferred into the program since last season: George from Alabama, and Hudson from FIU. Hudson played in 36 games over four seasons at FIU, including 27 starts, making him the second-most experienced player on the line behind center Kingsley Eguakun (40 career games).

FRESHMAN OF NOTE 
Interior lineman Knijeah Harris signed with the Gators after being ranked the No. 1 center prospect in the 2023 signing class by ESPN. Harris worked at center and guard in preseason camp and could figure into the two-deep as the Gators work to solidify the unit entering the season opener against Utah. Harris started his prep career at St. Lucie West Centennial High before moving across the state to enroll at the IMG Academy in Bradenton. Harris had offers from powerhouse programs such as Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Michigan before opting to sign with UF.
 

ETC.  
Any time there is revamp of the offensive line on the scale of this year's unit, the potential is there for young players to crack the lineup if they develop rapidly over the course of the season. Besides the dozen core players referenced above, freshmen Bryce Lovett (6-5, 330) and Caden Jones (6-7.5, 345) are newcomers that provide size indicative of Florida's approach in building for the future. Redshirt freshman guard Christian Williams (6-4.25, 310) and redshirt junior Riley Simonds (6-3, 304) are familiar with the system, and walk-on Mark Pitts (6-6, 318) adds another body on the outside should injuries deplete the unit.


"QUOTE "
"You watch his tape, he has the movement skills that you're looking for, and then you've got to trust your plan and develop how you get guys caught up to speed there. That's our part, to get him to play that way. But you watch his tape, he's a guy that can change directions, long, hard to get around. So we're expecting good things from him." – Gators offensive line coach Rob Sale on Hudson

BOTTOM LINE
The Gators return only 20 of 65 starts along the offensive line during head coach Billy Napier's first season: Eguakun (13), Barber (5), Waites (1) and Leonard (1). That means a lot of new faces in new places in 2023. With running back duo of Montrell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne the centerpiece of the offense, this unit must show toughness in the trenches early. Establishing an identity on the ground can buy time for quarterback Graham Mertz and the passing game to find a rhythm.

IN CASE YOU MISSED ... 
* Unit Breakdown: Backfield
* Unit Breakdown: Receivers