Take a look at who is taking part in Florida football’s pro day
The 2023 NFL draft is rapidly approaching with just five weeks remaining before the selection process kicks off on Thursday, April 27. The festivities hosted in Kansas City, Missouri, will continue until Saturday, April 29, as 32 professional franchises make their decisions out of a field of 259 possible picks.
Most recently, the top prospects in the upcoming draft participated in the NFL scouting combine, which scrutinized each individual both on a physical and performance level. However, before the big day arrives many schools are putting on their own pro days to give their alumni another chance to wow the pro scouts before judgment day.
Take a look below at the 12 athletes — 11 of whom are football players and the other a former track and field standout — who are scheduled to partake in this year’s pro day at the University of Florida on March 30.
Quarterback Anthony Richardson
Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun
Bio
Height/Weight | 6’4′, 244 lbs
Hometown | Gainesville, Florida
The Skinny
The Gainesville gunslinger is among the most coveted prospects in the 2023 draft based solely on his outstanding athleticism. While there are no shortage of concerns with his overall game, the pieces of the puzzle are there for any franchise that wants to put a few years into developing him into the beast he could potentially be.
2023 NFL Combine Results: Quarterback Anthony Richardson
Linebacker Amari Burney
Donald Page/Getty Images
Bio
Height/Weight | 6’2″, 228 lbs
Hometown | St. Petersburg, Florida
The Skinny
Burney, a former four-star recruit from the class of 2018, spent five years with the Gators playing at both the STAR position and at linebacker. He made the switch from the secondary in 2019 and was a full-time linebacker by 2020. He appeared in all 37 of Florida’s contests over the past three seasons, starting 18 games, including every game of the 2022 season. — David Rosenberg
This Florida linebacker just declared for the 2023 NFL draft
Linebacker Brenton Cox Jr.
UAA Communications/Leslie White
Bio
Height/Weight | 6’3″, 252 lbs
Hometown | Stockbridge, Georgia
The Skinny
Cox was dismissed from the team halfway through the 2022 campaign but made his mark on the field prior to his departure. The former transfer from Georgia notched 100 total tackles (53 solo, 47 assisted) along with 28.5 tackles for losses (12.5 sacks) over the course of 29 games wearing the Orange and Blue.
Linebacker Ventrell Miller
AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack
Bio
Height/Weight | 6’0″, 221 lbs
Hometown | Lakeland, Florida
The Skinny
Miller was the heart and soul of a defensive corps that struggled mightily at times — often coinciding with an injury that kept him off the field. Once again, the injury bug bit him this past season which kept him out of the Senior Bowl along with the scouting combine, but he figures to be ready for the draft. He will likely be a hidden gem in the lower rounds for one lucky team.
Defensive Lineman Gervon Dexter Sr.
James Gilbert/Getty Images
Bio
Height/Weight | 6’6″, 312 lbs
Hometown | Lake Wales, Florida
The Skinny
Dexter Sr. is a 6-foot-6-inch, 312-pound sophomore defensive lineman who has been one of the Gators’ best trench warriors this season. A lot of attention has surrounded 6-foot-5-inch, 415-pound lineman Desmond Watson, and for good reason, but Dexter Sr. is one of the leaders of the unit. He is an anchor of the defensive line and has the tools to make it at the professional level. — De La Espriella
2023 NFL Combine Results: Defensive lineman Gervon Dexter
Safety Trey Dean III
UAA Communications/Isabella Marley
Bio
Height/Weight | 6’2″, 200 lbs
Hometown | Hampton, Georgia
The Skinny
Dean has a good athletic build with nice long arms — traits that you simply cannot teach. Additionally, his solid man-cover ability and intellect make him an intriguing option in the later rounds who at worst would make a solid addition to the practice squad. The biggest concern is that he’s a bit on the slow side, finishing at the bottom in the 40-meter and 10-second split at the combine. Still, he has enough going for him that he could be a sleeper in the NFL with some tinkering.
2023 NFL Combine Results: Safety Trey Dean III
Safety Rashad Torrence II
AP Photo/Gary McCullough
Bio
Height/Weight | 6’0″, 193 lbs
Hometown | Atlanta, Georgia
The Skinny
Torrence is a safety with adequate athleticism for the pro ranks but is a bit on the slow side. He has a good understanding of the game and his roles in th defensive backfield, which usually puts him in a position to make a play, but he lacks consistency when it comes to finishing. Look for him to go off the board on Day 3 as teams look for late-round value.
2023 NFL Combine Results: Safety Rashad Torrence II
Offensive Lineman Richard Gouraige
AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack
Bio
Height/Weight | 6’5″, 308 lbs
Hometown | Tampa, Florida
The Skinny
Gouraige played over 1,600 snaps at left tackle for Florida over the past three seasons and served as the team’s everyday starter for the past two years. Pro Football Focus gave him an offensive grade of 70.8 in 2022, which ranks 34th overall in the country among draft-eligible tackles that played in over 500 snaps. Gouraige ranked 22nd in the nation with a 78.3 pass-blocking grade. — Rosenberg
Former Florida OT injured during the 2023 NFL Combine
Offensive Lineman O'Cyrus Torrence
AP Photo/Gary McCullough
Bio
Height/Weight | 6’5″, 330 lbs
Hometown | Greensburg, Louisiana
The Skinny
Torrence followed Billy Napier from the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns to Florida and did not disappoint in his only season wearing the Orange and Blue, earning a consensus All-American status — the 34th Gator to earn that distinction and first since Kyle Pitts in 2020. Also, expected to go in the top half of the first round, the lineman has never allowed a sack over the course of his collegiate football career.
2023 NFL Combine Results: Offensive Lineman O’Cyrus Torrence
Wide Receiver Justin Shorter
Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun
Bio
Height/Weight | 6’4″, 223lbs
Hometown | Monmouth Junction, New Jersey
The Skinny
Shorter is another former transfer who found greener pastures in Gainesville, traveling through the portal back in 2020 from the Penn State Nittany Lions. He had a solid career in Florida but never really got the opportunity to fully maximize his talents in the Swamp. Nonetheless, he made some amazing catches and has the skill plus body size to play at the next level.
Wide Receiver Jordan Pouncey
Bob Self/Florida Times-Union
Bio
Height/Weight | 6’1″, 217 lbs
Hometown | Winter Park, Florida
The Skinny
Pouncey is listed as a wide receiver but served as an all-purpose player during his time in the Swamp. He spent three years with the Texas Longhorns from 2017-19 before transferring to Gainesville where his second cousins Mike and Maurkice excelled before him. However, playing time was sparse as he mostly appeared on special teams over the past three seasons.
BONUS: Sprinter Dedrick Vanover
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Bio
Height/Weight | UNLISTED
Hometown | Gainesville, Florida
The Skinny
Dedrick Vanover, a former member of the Florida Gators track team in 2021 and 2022, will be the only athlete not part of the Gators football team to participate in Pro Day activities. Despite finding success on the track, Vanover is no stranger to playing football. Before stepping foot on campus in Gainesville, Vanover was an all-SIAC defensive back for Moorhouse College in Atlanta. In 2019, he recorded a team-high four interceptions and nine pass breakups, and was third on the team in total tackles with 31. — Sergio De La Espriella
Former Florida track & field star to participate in football pro day
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