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Florida Football: 5 spring 2019 breakout candidates for Gators

By Connor Muldowney

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 22: Trevon Grimes #8 of the Florida Gators, Feleipe Franks #13 of the Florida Gators, and Dameon Pierce #27 of the Florida Gators celebrates the win with the fans after the game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Florida won the game 47-21. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 22: Trevon Grimes #8 of the Florida Gators, Feleipe Franks #13 of the Florida Gators, and Dameon Pierce #27 of the Florida Gators celebrates the win with the fans after the game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Florida won the game 47-21. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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Florida football is on the rise thanks to Dan Mullen and the Gators are facing a crucial spring with some questions to be answered. Who will break out?

Dan Mullen has changed the culture in Gainesville. There’s just a different feel to the Gators lately and it’s because the former Mississippi State coach is one of the best in the business, even if he doesn’t quite get his dues.

Florida enters spring ball as one of the best teams in the country and one to watch after finishing the 2018 season with 10 wins and a blowout victory over Michigan in the Peach Bowl.

The Gators are losing some key players in 2019, however, which means that there are going to be some young guys facing a critical spring.

Which five Gators could break out and become household names this spring?

One of the more unique players on the Gators’ roster, Trey Dean picked Florida over the likes of Alabama and a host of other top schools as a blue-chipper out of high school.

It didn’t look like Florida was on his radar early on in the process, but Dan Mullen put in the work to lure him to Gainesville and he admitted as recently as December that he wouldn’t be where he is today if not for the head coach’s persistent recruiting effort. He even went as far as to say Florida wasn’t even on his list of top-20 schools until Mullen got there.

Now, he’s in line to be the star cornerback for the Gators in 2019 as a sophomore which would follow an impressive freshman season in which he recorded 26 tackles and an interception with five passes breakups.

The room for growth is large and he has as high a ceiling as anyone on the roster. He could be next in line from Florida’s secondary to head to the NFL via the first round of the draft. Luckily Florida still has him for a couple more years.

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