Second-Year Surge: Mordecai McDaniel’s athletic potential sky high
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida is in the middle of its summer strength and conditioning program, and the Gators are looking to make strides physically to become a faster and more powerful team.
Those gains are incredibly important for one group of players in particular: the second-year guys. Especially in 2021, without the benefit of a full offseason program last year due to COVID-19, the second-year players have a chance to make a serious jump.
Today we begin a series that takes a look at those second-year players and what Florida fans can expect from each one. We continue in the secondary with a player who got a little bit of playing time as a true freshman.
Position: Safety
Size: 6-foot-1, 192 pounds
Hometown/Previous School: Washington / St. John’s
Recruiting Ranking: No. 361 overall ranking as a prospect in the 247Composite. No. 28 cornerback in the nation in the 247Composite, No. 17 cornerback in the nation according to 247Sports. No. 5 overall player in Washington D.C. in the 247Composite, No. 4 overall player in Washington D.C. according to 247Sports.
2020 Stats: 4 tackles
STRENGTHS SHOWN: McDaniel didn’t get enough run that we have a full evaluation on his game going into his second season at the college level, so this eval is based mostly on his athleticism. McDaniel has excellent top-end speed and fairly solid acceleration, making him a guy that could have some range in the back end in the years to come. He’s also a hard hitter, capable of coming downhill and busting chops. That gives him some playmaking potential in the back end.
STEP-UP NEEDED: Though he’s a big hitter, McDaniel didn’t always have the best tackling form, so he’ll need to clean up his form a little bit to be successful at the SEC level. Then it’s just continuing to get reps and grow comfortable with the playbook. Though there are a lot of bodies at safety competing for jobs, McDaniel has some of the highest upside thanks to his athleticism. He should be a priority for Florida’s staff to get a look at in fall camp to see if he can handle a starting role should Trey Dean or Rashad Torrence II struggle early in the season.
