This has not been a great summer for Dan Mullen and the Florida Gators. Preseason publications and advanced metrics alike were calling Florida a potential sleeper coming into the 2019 season, but the offseason has not gone according to plan. Early Monday, it was announced that junior cornerback Brian Edwards had declared his intention to transfer.
— 🅱️rian Edwards (@MDK6ixx) July 8, 2019
Edwards’ declaration was quickly picked up by dozens of websites. The junior cornerback was not projected to start this season, but he was expected to provide depth in the secondary (he played 18 games in 2017-2018) with the depth chart listing him as a second-team defensive back. Edwards didn’t play much in 2018, recording just seven tackles and four pass break-ups, yet those numbers were expected to rise markedly in 2019.
His decision to enter the transfer portal has led to serious concerns about the depth of Florida’s secondary less than two months before the start of the season. The starters for the Gators are some of the best in the country. Marco Wilson and CJ Henderson are seen as one of the best cornerback pairs in the nation, and both safety Brad Stewart Jr. and STAR Trey Dean III have been heralded as potential breakout players in 2019. However, there could be major problems in the unit if any of the starters get injured.
Florida’s top prospect in the Class of 2019 (cornerback Chris Steele) announced that he was transferring in May, so Edwards’ decision to enter the transfer portal has made the depth in the Gators’ secondary razor thin. To make matters worse, Edwards joins a number of Florida players leaving the program this offseason with Jalon Jones, Diwun Black, and Deyavie Hammond already off the roster after being signed in the Class of 2019.
The Gators are still the second-best team in the SEC East in the eyes of many, but there is plenty of concern in Gator Nation now.
H/T ESPN
