Two Gators among ESPN’s top 32 prospects in 2023 NFL draft
ESPN’s Todd McShay has released the latest rankings of his top prospects in the 2023 NFL draft class. Among the 32 first-round picks are Florida Gators standouts O'Cyrus Torrence and Anthony Richardson, with Torrence coming in as the No. 28 prospect and Richardson at No. 32.
Torrence became the 34th player in Florida football history to be a consensus All-American and the first since Kyle Pitts in 2020. He joined Lomas Brown (1984), Jason Odom (1995), Mike Pearson (2001), and Maurkice Pouncey (2009) as the only Gators offensive linemen to be named a Consensus All-American. He is the first offensive guard in Florida football history to earn the honor. The 6-foot-5-inch, 347-pound senior was also named an All-American by The Athletic, CBS, and Pro Football Focus (PFF).
Torrence was a vital part of the Florida run game. He transferred to Florida from Louisiana, joining Billy Napier in the move from Lafayette to Gainesville. He brought stability and familiarity in a run game that became the Gators’ offensive identity.
Here is what McShay had to say about Torrence’s draft prospects.
Torrence started in 36 games at Louisiana before transferring to Florida (11 more starts). He’s a wide-based blocker who rarely gives up ground to powerful rushers, but he lacks ideal mirror-and-slide agility and can get in trouble with mobile 3-techniques. Torrence gave up just one sack over the past three years. As a run-blocker, Torrence does a great job of latching on and controlling defensive linemen while moving laterally in a zone-blocking scheme, though his second-level range is only average.
Richardson has been talked about as a high-upside pick because of his incredible athleticism. But he’s not just an athletic freak with no tools. He had many moments this season where his ball placement was praised by social media and analysts alike. His pocket presence has looked NFL-ready and the dual-threat nature of his playstyle fits well with where NFL offenses are headed.
What he struggled with was consistency. As good as he looked at times, he also looked very poor in stretches of the season. He seemed to not have control of his arm power in short and intermediate-range throws and he would often lose his confidence and not be able to find it within the game. Not to mention his noted hamstring and ankle injuries.
Here is what McShay had to say about Richardson’s draft prospects.
Richardson declared for the draft, which sets up an interesting evaluation for NFL teams. On one hand, he displays excellent physical traits. He has the arm strength to drive the ball downfield, and his speed and elusiveness allow him to make an impact as a runner (654 rushing yards, nine TD runs). But on the other hand, he is still relatively inexperienced (13 starts) and is still ironing out his accuracy (53.8% completion percentage in 2022). Richardson is a huge projection, but the talent and upside are definitely there. He finished the 2022 season with 2,549 passing yards, 17 TD throws and 9 interceptions.
The 2023 NFL draft begins on Thursday, April 27, with both Anthony Richardson and O’Cyrus Torrence projected to be taken in the first round, according to the USA TODAY Sports’ Draft Wire.
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