This transfer wide receiver could swing College Football Playoff hopes for Florida Gators
However, the sophomore gunslinger cannot do it all by himself, and following the departure of some of the team's top talent, Billy Napier and Co. put in a great deal of effort to reload the roster for another run through the gauntlet this fall. Among those added from the de facto free agency system, one player in particular stood out to CBS Sports' Chris Hummer, who recently put together his list of transfer portal additions who could swing College Football Playoff hopes for every post-spring top 25 team.
That player was wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant, who left the UCLA Bruins to join the 10th-ranked Orange and Blue this past offseason.
"Florida didn't need a lot in the portal. But what the Gators aggressively targeted above all else was a big outside receiver who could replace the production of Elijhah Badger (39 catches, 806 yards, 20.7 ypc). That's what Sturdivant could bring to the offense. On paper he's an ideal fit at 6-3, 205 pounds," Hummer begins.
"He showed the ability to be a field stretcher in 2023 with an average depth of target of 16 yards. But he regressed in 2024 with a career-low 22 catches and 315 yards," he continues.
"Florida has plenty of weapons for DJ Lagway, but Sturdivant is a singular option on the outside among the roster's non-freshman receivers. If the Gators hope to reach their peak, Sturdivant needs to rediscover his 2023 form."
Sturdivant played a full 13-game slate while starting in 10 in 2023, catching 36 passes for 597 yards and 4 touchdowns for the Bruins. In 2024, he appeared in 11 games with eight starts and saw a decline in his production, hauling in 22 catches for 315 yards and 2 touchdowns. Prior to UCLA, he spent two years with the Cal Golden Bears, taking a redshirt for his freshman campaign.
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
14 minutes ago
- Washington Post
The group in charge of tennis in the US is starting its first coaching program
The U.S. Tennis Association announced the start of its first all-encompassing coaching program on Wednesday, a little more than a year after an outside review of the USTA's safeguarding system offered recommendations for how to better protect players from abuse such as sexual misconduct. 'At the end of the day, we have to create safe environments for all our players,' Craig Morris, the CEO of the new USTA Coaching initiative, said in a video interview with The Associated Press from Florida.
Chicago Tribune
15 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Rylie Mills' road from Lake Forest through Notre Dame leads to ‘special' opportunity with Seattle Seahawks
Playing in the NFL has long seemed like a realistic possibility for defensive lineman Rylie Mills. The former Lake Forest standout's five-year Notre Dame career, which included the past two seasons as a highly productive starter, only brought him closer. But Mills suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during the Fighting Irish's College Football Playoff win over Indiana on Dec. 20. 'I knew something was wrong, but I wanted somehow to return to the game,' he said. 'I tried a couple of times, but they wouldn't let me. I thought at first I'd be back for the playoffs, but that obviously didn't happen. It certainly wasn't how I wanted to end my college career.' Indeed, Mills had surgery shortly thereafter and was a spectator for the rest of the four-game playoff run, which ended with Notre Dame's 34-23 loss to Ohio State in the national championship game. Mills' injury also affected his status for the NFL draft in April. He recorded a team-high 7.5 sacks to go along with 37 tackles and four quarterback hurries as a senior to earn a slew of postseason accolades, including an All-American second-team selection, and generate positive draft buzz. But given Mills' uncertain return date and his inability to work out at the combine or any pro days, he lasted until the fifth round, when the Seattle Seahawks grabbed him with the 142nd overall pick. 'The feedback I was getting before I got hurt was that my draft status was going higher,' he said. 'It was tough at the combine for scouts to tell me that they love my tape. 'Seattle was a great place to land, though. They have a great foundation. The staff is amazing. I'm just taking it day by day.' With NFL preseason action underway, the 6-foot-5, 290-pounds Mills remains on the non-football injury list. But he has graduated to individual running drills on grass and has been able to take in every aspect of the mental preparation that is so essential in making a successful jump from college to the NFL. 'We have a lot of experience on the defensive line, so I lean on them to gain as much knowledge as possible,' Mills said, highlighting 10-year NFL veteran Leonard Williams. 'In meetings, we talk all the time about what everyone's seeing from the offense, and I pick up new things all the time from watching and listening.' Mills is also seeing the high-stakes nature of the NFL and how much pressure exists on players to produce. That was evident to some extent in college, but this is a different ballgame, both literally and figuratively. 'It's a real job, which makes a huge difference, and you're trying to be one of the best in the world,' Mills said. 'Every day I try to take in how special it is to have this opportunity and make sure I put in all the work necessary to make a positive impression.' Lake Forest coach Chuck Spagnoli wouldn't be surprised if Mills, who finished his Notre Dame career with 17 sacks, makes a position impression in Seattle. 'When I talked to people at Notre Dame, they were always glowing about him, and he was always getting more productive,' Spagnoli said. 'We always hoped he'd have this kind of opportunity, but he created it himself. Hopefully he'll develop into a great NFL player.' Mills has certainly learned to adapt to the realities of his knee injury. Although he couldn't lead Notre Dame to a national championship on the field, that didn't mean his tenure as an influential team captain was finished. 'Coach (Marcus) Freeman said I could handle this adversity in one of two ways,' Mills said. 'I could do anything I could to be as useful as possible, or I could dwell on things. I'm glad I chose the more positive mindset.' Due to the timing of his surgery, Mills couldn't attend Notre Dame's 23-10 win over Georgia in the quarterfinals on Jan. 2. But he was bound and determined to get to the semifinal game against Penn State in suburban Miami seven days later. Mills couldn't fly, so a Notre Dame fundraising agency called Rally proposed a unique travel arrangement. 'They got me an NIL deal with an RV company, and we drove down to Florida,' Mills said. 'It was my parents, girlfriend, the dog — and my uncle drove. It was pretty close quarters there and back for about 40 hours.'
USA Today
15 minutes ago
- USA Today
DeSean Bishop has 'grown tremendously' in pass protection ahead of 2025 season
Tennessee practiced for a tenth time during fall training camp on Tuesday. Redshirt sophomore DeSean Bishop enters his third season with the Vols in 2025. The 5-foot-10, 208-pound running back appeared in 10 contests during the 2024 campaign. Bishop totaled 455 rushing yards and scored three touchdowns on 74 attempts in 2024. He also recorded one reception for 10 yards in the Vols' season opener against Chattanooga. Following Tuesday's practice, running backs coach De'Rail Sims discussed Bishop's improvement during the offseason. 'I think he's taken a step in terms of leadership, number one,' Sims said. 'He's been a dynamic guy in the room, in terms of holding guys accountable. If somebody is not living up to the standard, he's the first one to get on them, and that's including all factors. 'I think from the pass protection standpoint, he's taken the next step too. From a physicality standpoint, an eye discipline standpoint, he's done a really good job. Running the ball is natural to him, I mean, you're talking about a guy that was highly productive in high school and rushed for a ton of yards, so that came natural. The pass protection piece of it, he's grown tremendously in that and done a really good job this camp.' Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
