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Florida Football: 3 breakout candidates for 2021 season

By Connor Muldowney

Dec 5, 2020; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Florida Gators wide receiver Xzavier Henderson (3) runs with the ball against Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Warren Burrell (4) during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2020; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Florida Gators wide receiver Xzavier Henderson (3) runs with the ball against Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Warren Burrell (4) during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dan Mullen is facing a big season with Florida football.

The Gators are fresh off nearly making the playoff in 2020 but a late-season meltdown prevented that from happening. They were tripped up by LSU in the regular-season finale before losing to Alabama in a close SEC title game, and then Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl.

Plenty of talent returns to the roster in 2021 but there are also a handful of key departures such as Kyle Trask, Kyle Pitts, and Kadarius Toney.

The defense could use plenty of improvement, but the offense should reload.

If Florida wants to make a run at an SEC title this season, these guys need to break out.

Former five-star running back Demarkcus Bowman had a quiet first season with Clemson and that’s not surprising given the fact that the Tigers had Travis Etienne and Lyn-J Dixon leading the run game.

Even with Etienne getting drafted this offseason, opening a spot on the depth chart for Bowman to slide in, the freshman running back decided to transfer after gaining 32 yards on nine carries.

Florida jumped at the opportunity to land him and added him to a roster with Dameon Pierce, Malik Davis, Nay’Quan Wright, and Lorenzo Lingard. That backfield is going to wreak havoc on opponents all season long and Bowman might sneak his way onto the two-deep when the season starts.

Bowman looks like one of the best young running backs in the country and now that he has a chance to prove himself as a starting-caliber player, he should break out.

All aboard the Bowman bandwagon.

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