This Florida Gators wide receiver has received an honest assessment from one of his coaches.
The Florida Gators' offense was definitely nothing to write home about last season, as it ranked 13th in the SEC.
New head coach Jon Sumrall is hoping to turn that around in 2026, and he has a pretty impressive stable of incoming weapons to help him.
Perhaps most notably, Florida has three four-star wide receiver recruits joining the squad next season: Davin Groce, Will Griffin and Marquez Daniel.
All three of them are unique in their own way, but perhaps the most tantalizing prospect of them all is Daniel.
Why? The Tuskegee, Al. product stands 6-foot-5, making him a towering target for Aaron Philo or Tramell Jones Jr., whoever ends up at quarterback next fall.
Daniel is an explosive athlete who could potentially become a star on the NCAA level, but it might not happen right off the bat.
Gators passing game coordinator Trent McKnight opened up about Daniel this week, and he feels that Daniel's development will be a process.
"It's going to take a little bit longer, but he's hungry," McKnight said, via Keith Niebuhr of On 3.
Florida Gators coach Jon Sumrall. Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images.Daniel has apparently made significant progress in the weight room, which is vital considering he weighs just 195 pounds in spite of his large frame.
The multi-sport athlete is the 38th-ranked wide receiver in his class and the 11th-ranked player in the state of Alabama, via 247 Sports.
In 10 games during his senior season at Booker T. Washington, Daniel caught 31 passes for 405 yards and six touchdowns. That was actually a step back from his junior year in 2024, when he hauled in 38 receptions for 757 yards and 12 scores.
Regardless, Daniel is an immensely talented player, even if he is still very raw when it comes to things like route running. Because of his size and athleticism, however, he could end up being Florida's best receiver of the class.
The Gators went just 4-8 last season and have posted four losing campaigns over the last five years, quite the deviation to what Florida fans have grown accustomed.
We'll see if Sumrall — who went 43-12 in four years split between Troy and Tulane — can right the ship in the Swamp.
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