Three Gators ranked inside ESPN’s top 100 college football players for 2022
Florida had a trio of players turn up on ESPN’s list of the top 100 college football players heading into 2022 on Wednesday. Linebacker Brenton Cox Jr., quarterback Anthony Richardson and offensive guard O'Cyrus Torrence all fell in final 20 spots of the list.
Cox fell 21 spots from No. 59 in 2021 to No. 80 on this year’s list. After collecting 8.5 sacks and 41 tackles (26 solo) as a redshirt sophomore, he’s looking to set a new school record in sacks before heading to the pros. Injuries hurt the linebacker room early on last season, but the ESPN staff thinks that a healthy group could open things up for Cox to reach his goals.
“Change is everywhere you look in Gainesville, but Cox is a constant. He combined 8.5 sacks with 10 run stops at or behind the line in 2021, and he broke up four passes in coverage, too. With Ventrell Miller returning from injury, Cox could helm a dynamite LB corps.”
Richardson comes in at No. 93 on the rankings after not placing a year ago as the backup to Emory Jones. The ESPN staff isn’t shy about praising Richardson’s potential, but it’ll take actual production for him to move any higher on this list.
“He’s huge (6-4, 252 pounds). He’s got a big arm (among his 38 completions last year were six over 30 yards), and he’s ridiculously fast (rushes of 80 and 73 yards). The man has all the tools. Now we get to see if he can put them all together.”
Four spots under Richardson is Torrence, one of the five men who will be charged with protecting the first-year quarterback. Despite allowing just three pressure in 378 pass-block snaps last year, Torrence moved up from No. 100 to just No. 97. Go figure.
“An under-the-radar recruit, Torrence (listed at 6-5 and 347 pounds) was an immediate star for head coach Billy Napier at Louisiana. Now the former Freshman All-American and All-Sun Belt star will play his trade with Napier in Gainesville. He immediately becomes Florida’s most proven and high-upside lineman.”
If Napier’s guy turns out to be a success in the SEC, he could get drafted in the first three rounds this spring.
A surprising snub on the list is defensive tackle Gervon Dexter, who was ranked earlier in the week in Todd McShay’s top-50 NFL draft prospects. Like Richardson, he needs to add a little more consistency to his game, but Dexter has been considered one of Florida’s best project players for a few years.
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