Florida Gators Football

Netflix dropped its first trailer for the four-part documentary that will profile the Florida Gators during Urban Meyer's tenure as head coach.

Meyer returned the Gators to the heights they once enjoyed with Steve Spurrier. They won a pair of national titles, had a Heisman Trophy winner in Tim Tebow, and saw a bevy of stars move on to the NFL.

Untold: Swamp Kings will also detail what happened off the field in Gainesville and how the atmosphere that contributed to Florida's success ultimately precipitated its rapid decline.

Meyer arrived in 2005 and delivered his first title in 2006. By the end of the 2010 season, he stepped down for health reasons after having already signaled a year earlier he was walking away for the same reason.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler wrote in a 2015 piece how "the unrelenting drive that thrust the Gators into college football folklore proved unsustainable."

"A brilliant coach lost his fire. Fights once born of intense competition became sparked by contempt and disrespect," Fowler wrote. "A culture of favoritism was perceived by many, and combined with myriad off-field issues, it slowly eroded the program's foundation."

Untold: Swamp Kings will debut on Tuesday, Aug. 22.

Comedian and actor Druski is making another move in the world of sports, as he announced the launch of his 4Lifers Sports Agency.

According to TMZ, the agency's first client is Florida Gators defensive end and 2024 NFL draft prospect Princely Umanmielen.

"Launching 4Lifers Sports Agency allows me to combine my two passions -- sports and entertainment," Druski told TMZ. "Our team is committed to providing athletes with the resources, support and marketing opportunities to grow on and off the field. The process begins today with Florida Gators star Princely Umanmielen's addition to our family."

Druski is launching an athletic branch of his 4Lifers brand to help athletes "grow on and off the field" 🔥

He's signed Gators' Princely Umanmielen as his first client 👏

(via @TMZ_Sports) pic.twitter.com/t2NjRRGaLc

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 17, 2023

Entering his senior season, Umanmielen has been named to the Chuck Bednarik and Lombardi Award watch lists as well as the All-SEC preseason third team. He's coming off a strong 2022 season in which he recorded 39 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in 13 games with 11 starts.

This isn't Druski's first foray into the sports world, as he is a co-owner of the Fan Controlled Football team Shoulda Been Stars.

Umanmielen and the Gators will open their 2023 season on Thursday, Aug. 31 against No. 14 Utah.

The Florida Gators are known for their brightly colored uniforms, but they surprised fans with a new look on Tuesday.

The Gators unveiled a set of all-black uniforms for the Nov. 4 "Saluting Those Who Serve" game against the Arkansas Razorbacks. According to a press release, the uniforms will be worn in honor of members of the armed forces, veterans and local first responders.

11.04.23

🔗: https://t.co/4IhjyZVnAV#SalutingThoseWhoServe 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ZU0jJMM3MA

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) August 15, 2023

This will be the first time in program history that the Gators will wear alternate black uniforms. Per the release, "each player's nameplate on the back of their jersey will display one of five words that are synonymous with the principles embodied by those who serve." Those five terms are Commitment, Courage, Excellence, Honor and Integrity.

"I know Gator Nation is excited about the team wearing black uniforms, but I don't want us to lose sight of the intent relative to creating awareness and showing gratitude and appreciation for all branches of our military and first responders," Florida head coach Billy Napier said. "We're doing something that's going to be a lot of fun, but ultimately, we're hopeful that we can recognize and show appreciation for a lot of selfless people that have chosen a profession of service and put their lives at risk each day."

For each ticket purchased for the Nov. 4 matchup, the UAA will donate a ticket to a local military person.

The Gators will open their 2023 season on Aug. 31 in a road game against No. 14 Utah.

Former University of Florida quarterback Jalen Kitna has entered the transfer portal after reaching a plea deal in his child pornography case, according to Matt Zenitz of On3.

Kitna pleaded guilty last week to two counts of disorderly conduct in exchange for having his five felony child porn charges dropped. He received six months' probation for each disorderly conduct charge but will not have to register as a sex offender.

"I want to start off by apologizing to my family, my friends and those that care about me," Kitna said. "Their support through this whole ordeal has meant a lot to me. The hardest thing about this whole process has been seeing how it's affected them.

"The valuable lessons that I've learned through this whole deal have been very helpful. I'm looking forward to applying those things and moving forward."

Police alleged Kitna shared two images of young girls being sexually abused on social media, and officers said they found three additional photos of underage girls in the shower upon searching the device.

The son of former NFL quarterback Jon Kitna, Jalen Kitna was a 3-star quarterback prospect coming out of high school before committing to Florida. The Gators dismissed him from the team amid the charges.

Kitna threw for 181 yards and one touchdown during his playing career in Gainesville. He will be eligible to play during the 2023 season if a school brings him on as a transfer.

Former University of Florida quarterback Jalen Kitna was arrested last November on five felony child pornography charges—two counts of distribution of child exploitation material and three counts of possession of child pornography.

On Wednesday, Kitna reached a plea agreement dropping those charges, per Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinel.

He has instead pled no contest to two misdemeanor counts of breach of the peace with the State Attorney's Office for the Eighth Judicial Court in Alachua County, Florida. Judge Susan Miller-Jones has placed Kitna on six months probation for each count.

ESPN's Alex Scarborough provided further details on the initial charges:

"Kitna was arrested on Nov. 30 on five felony child pornography charges -- two counts of distribution of child exploitation material and three counts of possession of child pornography -- after police received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a user had distributed an image of child sexual abuse material on Discord, a social media platform.

"The investigation found Kitna to be the probable owner of the account, which shared two images of young girls being sexually abused. Police say they found three additional images of nude young women on Kitna's phone."

Kitna was released on $80,000 bond from Alachua County Jail one day after the arrest. On Dec. 2, the Gators dismissed him from the team.

The 20-year-old Kitna, a 3-star prospect from Burleson, Texas, committed to Florida in May 2020. He appeared in four games for Florida during the 2022 season.

Kitna is the son of former NFL quarterback Jon Kitna.

Quarterback Anthony Richardson highlights this year's University of Florida draft prospects, but the Gators are sending some other notable talents to the pros as well.

Of note, offensive guard O'Cyrus Torrence has made waves throughout the predraft process.

The consensus All-American was called "the top true guard prospect in this year's class," per Pro Football Focus. David Syvertsen of Ourlads Scouting has him ranked as the top interior offensive lineman and a "Week 1 starter." B/R NFL scout Brandon Thorn offered a pro comparison to Larry Warford, a three-time Pro Bowler.

He'll now join the Buffalo Bills after they took him 59th overall.

Edge-rusher Brenton Cox Jr., Bleacher Report's No. 99 overall prospect, received a pro comparison to three-time Pro Bowler Frank Clark from B/R NFL scout Matt Holder.

Cox was dismissed from the team during the 2022 season, with head coach Billy Napier saying it was because of an accumulation of concerns. That was shortly after Cox appeared to punch a player from Georgia, his old team.

Cox released a statement afterward, saying that his competitive spirit sometimes gets misconstrued:

https://twitter.com/brenton_cox_/status/1587214181346025472

It will be interesting to see where the talented defender lands given the events of last year.

The first Florida defender off the board was defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Jr., who went No. 53 to the Chicago Bears.

Still, Richardson is the unquestioned top Gator prospect, and he flew up draft big boards all winter and early spring. NFL Mock Draft Database had Richardson 21st on its consensus big board on Jan. 4. That ranking grew as high as fourth before settling at fifth.

Fourth is where Richardson ended up going as the Indianapolis Colts selected him in that spot as their future franchise quarterback.

A phenomenal combine performance for the 6'4", 244-pound prospect, who clocked a 4.43 40-yard dash and earned the top athleticism score among all signal-callers, certainly helped matters. His phenomenal arm strength and potential also pops out on tape, and that led to teams coveting the star prospect.

Richardson may well have the highest ceiling of any one prospect in this year's draft. Here's a look at where he and the rest of the Gators landed.

Florida NFL Draft Prospect List

LB Amari Burney: Las Vegas Raiders (No. 203)

Edge Brenton Cox Jr. (B/R NFL Scouting Report): N/A

S Trey Dean III (B/R NFL Scouting Report): N/A

DT Gervon Dexter Sr. (B/R NFL Scouting Report): Chicago Bears (No. 53)

OT Richard Gouraige: Buffalo Bills (UDFA)

LB Ventrell Miller (B/R NFL Scouting Report): Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 121)

QB Anthony Richardson (B/R NFL Scouting Report): Indianapolis Colts (No. 4)

WR Justin Shorter: Buffalo Bills (No. 150)

OG O'Cyrus Torrence (B/R NFL Scouting Report): Buffalo Bills (No. 59)

S Rashad Torrence II: N/A

Full list via NFL.com

HEIGHT: 6'0"

WEIGHT: 193

HAND: 10"

ARM: 32"

WINGSPAN: 77 5/8"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.72

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: N/A

VERTICAL: 33.5"

BROAD: 119"

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POSITIVES

—Takes good angles to the ball and plays with above-average closing and blitz speed.

—Shows above-average range, can attack straight line and sideline to sideline.

—Above-average to good size

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NEGATIVES

—Average movement skills. Lacks desired top-end speed. Has average athletic ability to move laterally and change direction.

—Struggles to get off blocks because of lack of strength.

—Average body control

—Plays hesitant in coverage because of slow footwork.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 12 games, 84 tackles, 1 PBU, 1 FF, 1 FR

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NOTES

DOB: 03/20/2002

28 starts

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OVERALL

Rashad Torrence II has filled the free safety role for the University of Florida for the past two years, starting 25 games and producing 3 INTs and 171 total tackles. Torrence is an above-average sized safety but lands in between the traits of a free safety and a strong safety. Torrence lacks the quickness and coverage abilities of the free safety position, and he lacks the strength and production as a tackler to be a strong safety.

Torrence shows the ability to close on the ball or blitz with above-average straight-line speed. At the FS position, he can diagnose the run and attack downhill. His weakness in the run game is his inability to tackle in open space, missing opportunities and leading to yards after contact. He does not show the strength to fight through blockers and does not play with enough overall speed to fit the SS role despite his size.

Torrence lacks the short-area quickness or change of direction to be a starting FS at the next level. He does not show the athletic ability or explosiveness in his movements to cover at a high level. He struggles with his footwork and reactions in coverage, leading to big plays and minimal production in passes defended. Torrence shows average top-end speed in games and is not fluid changing direction in coverage.

Torrence is a tweener at the safety position. He possesses above-average size and straight-line speed but is not productive enough as a tackler to be an NFL strong safety. His lack of quickness in his movements and average top speed will hinder him in the free safety role at the next level. Torrence is best fit to add depth to a team's practice squad with minimal upside at the strong safety position.

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GRADE: 5.4 (Backup or UDFA with Roster Potential/UDFA)

OVERALL RANK: 268

POSITION RANK: S24

PRO COMPARISON: Nick Scott

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

HEIGHT: 6'5"

WEIGHT: 306

HAND: 10"

ARM: 34"

WINGSPAN: 81 1/8"

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40-YARD DASH: 5.41

3-CONE: 8.00

SHUTTLE: 4.90

VERTICAL: 22 1/2"

BROAD: 8'1"

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POSITIVES

— Solid play strength to hold the point, create stalemates and strain to keep his hands inside through the rep.

— Excels using jump sets on play action with an aggressive approach into his fit and strong clench to tie up rushers.

— Does a nice job staying square on frontside zone runs with a reliable inside hand presence to widen the edge out.

— Knows how to balance jolt in his strikes while staying light enough not to lunge.

— Durable and experienced with proven inside-out versatility.

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NEGATIVES

— Below-average lateral quickness, body control and recovery skills.

— Upright playing style with a stiff lower half.

— Inconsistent snap timing can lead to a delay out of his stance.

— Balance deteriorates quickly late in the rep against slippery rushers.

— Afforded extensive help through scheme (heavy play action) and personnel (tight end to his side) in pass protection.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 13 starts at left tackle

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NOTES

— Former 4-star tackle recruit out of Cambridge Christian School in Tampa, Florida

— Mother immigrated to the United States from Haiti before Gouraige was born

— 42 career starts split between left tackle (25) and left guard (17)

— Turns 25 years old on October 15th

— Invited to the 2023 Senior Bowl

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OVERALL

Robert Gouraige is a three-year starter who began his collegiate career at left guard before making the switch to left tackle over the last two seasons. He started 13 games in Billy Napier's play-action-heavy, 57-43 run-pass split offense and zone-based run game with gap concepts sprinkled in.

Gouraige has a high-cut frame with a thick, well-rounded build, good arm length and adequate athletic ability. He uses solid play strength as a run-blocker to hold the point of attack with sound technique to get into his fit under control. Gouraige shows an understanding of the play's intent with how he fights to stay square on angle-drive blocks, with a reliable inside hand presence to define the read for the runner. However, his upright play style and stiff lower half result in more stalemates than movement at the point of attack, and he lacks the lateral quickness to cut off the backside.

In pass protection, Gouraige excels most using flat and jump sets on play action, getting into his fit aggressively with the grip strength to clench and tie up tightly aligned rushers. He shows efficient footwork on more angled sets against wide rush alignments to get to his landmark when the quarterback is inside nine yards with light, potent strikes to match and mirror. However, he lacks the range to expand his landmark on deeper drops, creating a short corner.

On deeper drops and longer developing pass plays, Gouraige's balance and body control deteriorates quickly. That causes him to scramble to stay attached to effective countermoves.

Overall, Gouraige is an experienced and durable prospect with proven inside-out versatility who gets the most out of his mediocre athletic ability, balance and recovery skills with proficient technique. That signals a ceiling of a capable backup who can get a team out of a pinch at tackle or guard.

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GRADE: 5.7 (Backup or Draftable/Rounds 6-7)

OVERALL RANK: 225

POSITION RANK: OT14

PRO COMPARISON: Justin Herron

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

HEIGHT: 6'2"

WEIGHT: 200

HAND: 9¼"

ARM: 31¾"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.75

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: 36.5"

BROAD: 10'4"

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POSITIVES

— Great size and length for position. Long, lean frame that can add more weight.

— Very good box player with physicality and strength to take on and quickly discard blockers.

— Above average man skills. Quickly gets out of breaks and shows good timing on pass breakups.

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NEGATIVES

— Poor awareness and vision in zone. Can get tunnel vision and locks onto the quarterback too long.

— Shows hip tightness at times and lacks twitch and top-end speed to carry receivers deep.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 12 games, 81 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 2 FR, 4 PBU

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NOTES

— 2018 All-SEC Freshman Team

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OVERALL

Trey Dean III is a player with a lot of starts under his belt. He came to Florida as a freshman and had an immediate impact on special teams, earning playing time and tallying a few starts early on in his career.

Dean is a lean, long defensive back who plays with good physicality and aggression. He is at his best when he can roll down into the box and work from there.

As a run defender, he shows off his great strength and physicality to take on blockers with his hands and quickly shed them to get to the ball-carrier. He does a good job of triggering to what he sees and quickly closes ground.

When tackling, there are times when he can overrun the ball carrier, which leads to missed tackles. Dean has shown the ability to blitz and play the run from off the edge, where he can be active in the offensive backfield.

As a pass defender, Dean has been more inconsistent. Though he is a good overall athlete, he tends to be heavy-footed in space and slow to get to top speed from a standstill. He does a good job seeing routes in front of him but lacks peripheral vision and awareness of route combinations. At times, he can stare at the quarterback too long, allowing receivers to get past him deep.

His lack of speed can also show itself when he gives a step to receivers and struggles to recover downfield. When the ball is in the air, he does a good job of staying patient and playing with good timing on breakups. His length is also a big factor in how he defends passes.

Dean will need to work on his pass coverage—especially when he's at deep safety—with his lack of awareness and vision. He will most likely be used as a box safety where he can continue to add weight and strength and cover tight ends and backs out of the backfield. He will also gain early playing time by excelling on special teams, much like he did in college. Dean is a potential role player that might be able to find a job as a starter if drafted to the right team.

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GRADE: 6.5 (Potential Role Player/Round 4)

OVERALL RANK: 143

POSITION RANK: S10

PRO COMPARISON: Talanoa Hufanga

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

HEIGHT: 5'11 7/8"

WEIGHT: 232

HAND: 9 1/8"

ARM: 32 1/2"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: TBD

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: TBD

BROAD: TBD

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POSITIVES

– Against outside runs, he has good speed to beat offensive linemen to the spot and a solid rip move to slip blocks. Also uses the rip move well on the backside of inside runs.

– Decent at using his athletic ability to avoid blocks without veering too far out of his gap.

– Takes good angles and has good lateral range as a run defender.

– Quick to sniff out screens.

– Speed allows him to carry running backs and tight ends down the field or play Tampa 2 coverage.

– Solid at reading the quarterback's eyes when playing zone.

– Decent hand-eye coordinator to get PBUs in coverage.

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NEGATIVES

– Undersized for an NFL linebacker and doesn't have much room for growth on his frame.

– Has struggled to stay healthy over the last couple of seasons.

– Lacks the strength to get extension and hold his ground against offensive linemen when he has to take on blocks with his hands. Also, struggles to get off blocks because of this.

– Tackles high and/or doesn't bring his feet with him, making him susceptible to getting run over by running backs and leading to missed tackles.

– Against play-action, he comes too far downhill and is late to transition to his pedal or ROBOT, leaving the middle of the field open.

– Change-of-direction skills are rough, he often ends up slipping and falling, which becomes an issue in man coverage.

– Can do a better job of locating threats when playing zone.

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2022 STATS

– 11 GM, 74 total tackles (34 solo), 8.5 TFL, 2 PD, 2 FFs

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NOTES

– Born January 15, 1999

– A 3-star recruit in the 2017 class, No. 569 overall, No. 36 OLB, per 247Sports' composite rankings

– Injuries: 2021 (Torn bicep, missed all but 2 games), 2022 (Lower body, missed 1 game), 2023 (Jones fracture [foot], had surgery and missed Senior Bowl)

– Suspended for the 2017 season after being charged with credit card fraud. The case was dropped after completing a pre-trial intervention program, per the Tampa Bay Times.

– 33 career starts

– 2020 Honors: SEC Academic Honor Roll, Two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Week

– 2018 Honors: SEC Academic Honor Roll

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OVERALL

Ventrell Miller is an older prospect who turned 24 in January and has suffered a few injuries over the last couple of years, which could significantly impact his draft stock. The latest was a Jones fracture in his foot that required surgery and kept him from participating in key pre-draft events like the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine.

On the field, Miller is a solid coverage linebacker who has the speed to carry pass-catchers down the field and has solid ball skills. His change of direction is a bit of an issue in man coverage, but he's decent at reading the quarterback's eyes, which will help him fit into a zone-heavy system.

The Gator also has shown flashes of being effective using his athletic ability as a run defender, too. He has good speed and angles against outside runs and can slip blocks from offensive linemen in space. However, he lacks the size and strength to hold up at the point of attack when taking on blocks from offensive linemen against inside runs.

Overall, Miller would be a solid WILL linebacker in even fronts as a backup. Teams who are looking for someone to fill that role and are in contention might like that he's older as the learning curve won't be as steep for him. This issue is he'll need to be able to contribute on special teams, which he didn't do very much in college.

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GRADE: 5.8 (Backup or Draftable/Rounds 6-7)

OVERALL RANK: 213

POSITION RANK: LB13

PRO COMPARISON: Matthew Adams

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Written by B/R NFL Draft Scout Matt Holder