Florida Gators

The SEC had a record 63 players selected in last month's NFL draft, including 12 in the first round.

I'm not sure it's realistic to expect that kind of haul next year, but it's never too early to start looking ahead to the 2014 draft class.

So, similar to a year ago, I've come up with our list of the SEC's top 20 draft prospects for 2014.

This isn’t a mock draft. Likewise, it’s not a ranking of who I think will be the best players in the SEC next season. Rather, it’s a projection of who will be the most coveted NFL prospects from the SEC when the 2014 draft rolls around in April. In coming up with this list, I’ve talked to several draft analysts as well as NFL personnel, SEC coaches and others who are clued in to the whole draft process.

Some players will obviously play their way onto this list next season, while others will play their way off it. Injuries undoubtedly will be a factor, and then occasionally, guys will come from nowhere to be first-round picks.

Among the prospects I nailed this time a year ago were Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner, Alabama offensive guard Chance Warmack, LSU defensive end Barkevious Mingo and LSU safety Eric Reid.

Among those I missed the boat on were Texas A&M offensive tackle Luke Joeckel, Missouri defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd and Alabama offensive tackle D.J. Fluker.

I had Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson No. 1 overall and South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore in my top five. So it never goes exactly the way anybody predicts, especially 11 months before the draft.

Here goes with our 2014 list. Again, we’re not suggesting all 20 will go in the first round or even the first two rounds. It’s simply the order we think they will come off the board in next April’s draft and includes only draft-eligible players:

1. Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina, Jr.: The ultimate game-changer on defense, Clowney would have been a first-rounder had he been draft-eligible after his freshman season. Clowney then excelled in 2012, elevating his status as the 2014 No. 1 favorite.

2: Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama, Jr.: A potential top-five pick in next year's draft, the 6-foot-6, 310-pound Kouandjio is everything you're looking for in a left tackle.

3. Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M, Sr.: We know Matthews has the bloodlines, but he also has the game. He's shifting over from right tackle to left tackle for his senior season.

4. Antonio Richardson, OT, Tennessee, Jr.: The man they call Tiny has the size and athleticism to be a franchise left tackle. Clowney said Richardson was one of the best tackles he faced a year ago.

5. Anthony Johnson, DT, LSU, Jr.: There's a reason they call him Freak. They just seem to breed great defensive linemen at LSU, and Johnson is next in line.

6. Loucheiz Purifoy, CB, Florida, Jr.: He's a pure cover cornerback with good size and an explosive athlete to boot. The Gators also will play him at receiver next season.

7. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M, RSo.: Yes, Manziel is shorter than the NFL typically likes its quarterbacks, but do measurables really matter when you make as many plays as Johnny Football does?

8. Dominique Easley, DT, Florida, Sr.: Easley is fully recovered from the torn ACL he suffered at the end of the 2011 season. He's sliding inside to tackle next season and will be a force for the Gators.

9. Adrian Hubbard, OLB, Alabama, RJr.: We saw his ability to get to the quarterback in flashes last season. Look for Hubbard to take that next step in 2013 and become a premier finisher.

10. C.J. Mosley, LB, Alabama, Sr.: As the saying goes, he's a football player. Mosley is a sure tackler. He's excellent in coverage and is always money whenever Alabama needs a big play.

11. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama, Jr.: In the past four drafts, Alabama has produced four first-round selections in the secondary. Clinton-Dix could be the top safety off the board next year.

12. Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M, RSo.: In his first season in the SEC, the 6-5, 225-pound Evans was sensational with 82 catches and 1,105 yards. He'll be even better his second time through.

13. AJ McCarron, QB, Alabama, Sr.: Sure, he's been surrounded by great talent, but McCarron also has an NFL arm, delivers in the clutch and takes care of the football.

14. Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt, Sr.: The 6-3, 205-pound Matthews is so smooth that he makes it look easy. And talk about productive. He averaged 109.6 receiving yards in eight SEC games.

15. Donte Moncrief, WR, Ole Miss, Jr.: One of the more underrated players in the SEC, the 6-3, 215-pound Moncrief has a knack for finding the end zone with 14 touchdowns in his first two seasons.

16. Daniel McCullers, DT, Tennessee, Sr.: This mountain of a man (6-8, 360 pounds) is still developing, but he should make an imposing nose tackle for a team that uses a 3-4 defensive scheme.

17. Marcus Roberson, CB, Florida, Jr.: The "other" Florida cornerback also has big-time skills and was second in the SEC in passes defended last season with 14.

18: Chaz Sutton, DE, South Carolina, RJr.: Clowney will get most of the attention next season, but don't be surprised if Sutton blows up and has a monster senior season.

19: Gabe Jackson, OG, Mississippi State, Sr.: Jackson thought about coming out early this year. He returns as one of the top offensive guards in college football.

20: Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia, Sr.: The opinions are mixed on Murray, who's bearing down on several SEC records. His numbers speak for themselves, and so does the way he approaches the game.

FLORIDA GATORS
2012 overall record: 11-2

2012 overall record: 11-2
2012 conference record: 7-1 (2nd Eastern Division)
Returning starters: Offense: 6; defense: 4; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners

QB Jeff Driskel, C Jonotthan Harrison, RG Jon Halapio, RB/WR Trey Burton, DE/DT Dominique Easley, CB Loucheiz Purifoy, CB Marcus Roberson, S Jaylen Watkins, P Kyle Christy

Key losses

RB Mike Gillislee, TE Jordan Reed, DT Sharrif Floyd, S Matt Elam, S Josh Evans, LB Jon Bostic, LB Jelani Jenkins

2012 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Mike Gillislee (1,152 yards)
Passing: Jeff Driskel* (1,646 yards)
Receiving: Jordan Reed (559 yards)
Tackles: Josh Evans (83)
Sacks: Dominique Easley* (4.0)
Interceptions: Matt Elam (4)

Spring answers

1. Back in business: Sophomore Matt Jones running back had a fantastic spring and the coaching staff is convinced he’ll be a more than capable replacement for Gillislee. The 6-foot-2, 228-pound Jones is a perfect fit for Will Muschamp’s power-run offense. He’s a straight-ahead, downhill runner, who runs through contact and gets tough yards. The offense will be built around him, especially with the questions surrounding the passing game. Redshirt junior Mack Brown and freshman Kelvin Taylor, the son of former UF standout running back Fred Taylor, give the Gators solid depth at the position.

2. Lined up: UF’s offensive line made strides in 2012 and it will be even better in 2013. The addition of transfers -- Max Garcia (Maryland) and Tyler Moore (Nebraska) -- gives the Gators a pair of former starters to add to an already solid base with Harrison and Halapio. Plus, sophomore D.J. Humphries is an immediate upgrade from Xavier Nixon at left tackle. Garcia will start at left guard and pair with Humphries to give Driskel better blind-side protection than he had a year ago.

3. The middle is settled: With the loss of Bostic and Jenkins, the Gators needed a middle linebacker. The staff moved sophomore Antonio Morrison from weakside linebacker, and Morrison showed pretty quickly he was up to the task. He’s not the biggest middle linebacker the Gators have had (6-foot-1, 230 pounds), but he is certainly one of the most physical. Morrison hits like he weighs 260 pounds -- just ask 245-pound former FSU quarterback EJ Manuel, whom Morrison leveled last season. Morrison proved he could handle making the defensive calls and he should easily step into the role Bostic held for the past two seasons.

Fall questions

1. Receiver issues ... again: The Gators have problems at wide receiver and must get better at the position or the offense will again struggle. That’s been the case since the 2009 season ended. The latest attempted solution is former Kentucky head coach Joker Phillips. He has coached receivers for 18 seasons at Kentucky (1991-96 and 2003-2009), Cincinnati (1997), Minnesota (1999-2000), Notre Dame (2001) and South Carolina (2002). NFL players Steve Johnson (Buffalo) and Randall Cobb (Green Bay) are among the receivers Phillips worked with during his tenure at Kentucky. He also coached Craig Yeast, Keenan Burton, Dicky Lyons Jr. and Derek Abney, all of whom rank in the top five in school history in career receptions or career receiving yardage. Can Phillips get consistent production out of Quinton Dunbar, Andre Debose, Raphael Andrades, Latroy Pittman, Burton or Solomon Patton? Can he turn one of the five freshmen -- notably Demarcus Robinson or Ahmad Fulwood -- into the big-time playmaker the Gators have lacked since Riley Cooper? Zach Azzani, Aubrey Hill and Bush Hamdan have tried and failed.

2. Safety dance: There’s some concern about the Gators’ safeties because some of the younger and less experienced players haven’t developed as the staff had hoped. Cody Riggs and Watkins, who started at corner early last season, will begin August practices as UF’s two starting safeties. They have both played there during their UF careers and there are no concerns about those two players, but there are some about Valdez Showers, Marcus Maye and Jabari Gorman. Realistically, the Gators are better off with Riggs and Watkins starting because that gives UF the chance to get its top four defensive backs on the field at the same time instead of working Watkins, Riggs, Roberson, Purifoy and Brian Poole in a rotation at cornerback. Still, those other three need to earn more trust from the coaching staff.

3. Just for kicks: Kickers Austin Hardin and Brad Phillips struggled throughout the spring. Neither is as reliable or as good from long range as Caleb Sturgis was, but it’s the first part that’s more important. The offense, especially if the receivers don’t get any better, will continue to have a hard time consistently moving the ball. Sturgis was able to bail the Gators out because they needed only to get to the 35-yard line to be in range for a makeable field goal. That mark may have to be the 20 in 2013. Unless Hardin or Phillips makes a major leap this summer, expect the Gators to go with the kicker who practices the best each week.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida’s pass rush pretty much disappeared when Carlos Dunlap and Jermaine Cunningham left the program after the 2009 season.

Production dipped the following season by nearly half. UF had 21 sacks in 2010, 28 in 2011, and 30 last season -- well below the 40 the Gators had in 2009. Though the numbers have climbed in the past two years, the Gators haven’t been able to consistently generate pressure on the quarterback.

That’s about to change -- theoretically, anyway.

With the expected return of buck Ronald Powell and the development of sophomore buck Dante Fowler Jr., and defensive end Jonathan Bullard, the Gators should have their best pass-rushing group since '09.

“We’re going to get our best rushers out there,” UF coach Will Muschamp said. “Big guys that run out of gas are done. You’ve got to get as much speed on the field as you can.”

That begins with Powell, who missed the 2012 season after tearing the ACL in his left knee in the spring game. His attempt to return by October was thwarted when he suffered a second tear during his rehab in September. Muschamp had raved about Powell throughout the spring before his injury and said he appeared ready to become an elite player.

The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Powell, who had 6.0 sacks as a sophomore, did not participate in spring practice but is expected to be cleared for full-contact work in August. If he returns to the level at which he was before his injury it’s not unreasonable to expect 8 to 10 sacks out of the redshirt junior, who will be the starter at strongside linebacker.

With Powell out of the lineup in 2012, the Gators were forced to rely on freshmen Fowler and Bullard. They combined for four sacks and eight quarterback hurries, including Bullard’s team-high seven -- not bad for freshmen, but neither was anywhere close to being an elite rusher.

However, the experience they gained was invaluable. The 6-3, 270-pound Bullard and the 6-3, 265-pound Fowler followed that up with a solid offseason in the weight room and on the practice field.

As a hybrid defensive end/linebacker, Fowler has multiple rushing and coverage responsibilities, and Muschamp said he has made strides in each area.

“Dante’s had a really good spring,” Muschamp said. “He’s a guy that really worked hard in the pass rush. Brad has done a really nice job of developing a solid move and a counter off of that. That’s something he needs to continue to refine over the summer. Played the runs well, strong at the point of attack. He’s got good initial quickness. He’s a really good athlete.”

Fowler sometimes didn’t play that way last season, mainly because he felt overwhelmed at times.

“There was a point when I first started playing where I was a little slow, because I didn’t know all the plays,” Fowler said. “I was scared for Coach Muschamp to get on me and things like that. I really wasn’t able to play fast, and then toward the South Carolina game, I started to go in and watch a lot of film trying to get better. That’s when I was able to play fast, because I knew everything and I had no worries or doubts.

“I just want to be able to play fast and shed some of that baby fat that I had. Just being able to be in shape, so I can play almost every down. I feel like I’ve got more acceleration. I have more wind, so I’m not getting as tired as I used to.”

He has certainly impressed left tackle D.J. Humphries, who had the job of blocking Fowler every day in spring practice.

“Dante, he’s a freak now,” Humphries said. “He’s getting better every day.”

Bullard dealt with a minor hamstring injury in the spring, but showed when he was healthy that he was going to have no problem getting to the quarterback.

“[Bullard] had a great offseason,” Muschamp said. “He’s changed his body. He’s gotten a lot stronger.”

A wild card in the Gators’ pass rush is Dominique Easley. The 6-2, 285-pound senior was supposed to be the starting defensive end, but a lack of depth at tackle -- as well as Bullard’s development -- has him starting the season at tackle. He has 5.5 career sacks.

Muschamp and defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin have more options now than last season and can tinker with the lineup. Powell can play buck and strongside linebacker. Fowler can play both, too, as well as defensive end. If needed, Bullard could play inside.

Redshirt junior linebacker Neiron Ball also can play the buck.

“To get our best guys on the field is a lengthy discussion we’ve had as a defensive staff,” Muschamp said. “Certainly Ronald, we feel like’s going to be one of those guys. Neiron Ball is another guy who has done some really nice things for us and played well. Darrin Kitchens’ development as an inside linebacker enables that move to happen and he played extremely well throughout the spring for us.

“All of those kind of mingled together, you feel comfortable how [the pass rush] is shaping up at this time.”

Alabama might have fallen to No. 2 in ESPN colleague Mark Schlabach's Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25, but I'd like to think that most of the college football world still considers the Crimson Tide to be the favorites to win the national championship again.

Alabama lost nine draft picks, including three first-rounders, but Nick Saban has a host of talent returning on both sides of the ball, and the Tide's schedule isn't too daunting after the first two games.

But there are teams that will test the Tide's road to a national championship trifecta in 2013. Colleague Travis Haney picked five teams from around the country that could challenge Alabama's title hopes this fall. Ohio State topped his list, while Texas A&M made it from the SEC.

No surprise there with the Aggies. Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel returns with a bundle of riches to accompany him in the Aggies' backfield.

Johnny Football might not have Luke Joeckel protecting him, but Jake Matthews provides quite the safety net with his move to left tackle, and there is still talent and experience up front. Mike Evans leads a young but talented group of pass-catchers.

The defense is a concern, with five members of last season's front seven gone, but the Aggies will still be equipped to win most shootouts.

A&M benefits from getting Alabama at home early in the season, but has to play Arkansas, Ole Miss, LSU and Missouri on the road. Even beating Alabama early doesn't guarantee the Aggies will make it to Atlanta over the Tide.

Here are four other SEC teams that could wreck Alabama's title train this fall:

Florida

The Gators will yet again be elite on defense. First-round draft picks Sharrif Floyd and Matt Elam might be gone, but Dominique Easley moves back to his more natural position at defensive tackle and could one of the best at his position this fall. Marcus Roberson and Loucheiz Purifoy could be the top cornerback duo in the SEC, while inside linebacker Antonio Morrison has the makings of being a budding star.

The offense is still a concern, especially with the lack of proven receiving talent, but quarterback Jeff Driskel has found a lot more confidence in his second year under offensive coordinator Brent Pease, and he'll have a much tougher offensive line and another loaded backfield to work with.

Georgia

Sure, the defense is younger and less experienced, but people in Athens are excited about the younger guys taking over. They were very receptive to coaching and showed continued improvement this spring. Linebacker Jordan Jenkins has playmaker written all over him, while freshman Tray Matthews could be the next big thing at safety. Having Damian Swann back at cornerback is huge.

Offensively, Georgia will be able to score on just about everyone. Aaron Murray is looking to be the first SEC quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in four seasons, and should leave with a handful of SEC/Georgia records. He has five offensive linemen returning, the best one-two running back punch (Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall) and plenty of receivers to throw to, including Malcolm Mitchell, who has moved back to offense full-time.

LSU

Yes, the Tigers lost a ton of talent on the defensive side of the ball, but Les Miles seemed pretty happy with where his defense was -- especially his defensive line -- at the end of spring. Jermauria Rasco could be a big-time player at defensive end for LSU, while linebacker Lamin Barrow has the talent to be an All-SEC performer. The return of cornerbacks Jalen Collins and Jalen Mills should continue the Tigers' trend of having an elite secondary.

The offense should be better, too. Zach Mettenberger is way more comfortable in the offense and has developed better chemistry with his receiving targets, which all return from last season. He'll have a solid offensive line in front of him and a loaded backfield. Although, it will be important to see what happens to the suspended Jeremy Hill, who could be the Tigers' top offensive weapon.

South Carolina

Jadeveon Clowney hasn't left, and the Gamecocks should once again be stacked along their defensive line. South Carolina does have to replace its two-deep at linebacker and has a couple of holes in its secondary, but we all know that a good defensive line can mask weaknesses behind it.

And the offense should be pretty balanced this fall. South Carolina possesses two solid quarterbacks and a talented running back stable led by rising sophomore Mike Davis. Bruce Ellington is back at receiver, and it sounds like the very talented Shaq Roland is finally starting to come around and should be a valuable receiving target this fall. This team has the personnel to make it back to Atlanta.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida released a post-spring depth chart on Wednesday. There were no big surprises, although seeing running back Mack Brown behind Matt Jones and ahead of Kelvin Taylor did earn a raised eyebrow.

Here’s the breakdown:

Offense

LT: D.J. Humphries (6-5, 285, So.)/Trenton Brown (6-8, 363, Jr.)

LG: Max Garcia (6-4, 307, RJr.)/Ian Silberman (6-5, 290, RJr.)

C: Jonotthan Harrison (6-3, 303, RSr.) /Kyle Koehne (6-5, 314, RSr.)

RG: Jon Halapio (6-3, 317, RSr.)/Trip Thurman (6-5, 313, RSo.)

RT: Tyler Moore (6-5, 315, RSo.) OR Chaz Green (6-5, 305, RJr.)

TE: Clay Burton (6-4, 247, Jr.)/Tevin Westbrook (6-5, 258, Jr.) OR Colin Thompson (6-4, 250, RFr.) OR Kent Taylor (6-5, 223, So.)

RB: Matt Jones (6-2, 228, So.)/Mack Brown (5-11, 215, RJr.)

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The one constant in Florida’s 2012 season -- until the Allstate Sugar Bowl, anyway -- was the Gators’ defense.

The unit was one of the nation’s best, ranking in the top five nationally in rushing, pass efficiency, and scoring, and it kept the Gators in games while the offense struggled.

Heading into the 2013 season, however, the defense has become as big an uncertainty as the offense in the wake of the departure of defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, the inexperience of replacement D.J. Durkin, and the loss of seven starters.

There were already significant questions about the unit because of the loss of those starters, which include All-American S Matt Elam, potential first-round NFL draft pick DT Sharrif Floyd, and a pair of players who played the best football of their careers during 2012 (NT Omar Hunter and S Josh Evans). Also gone is MLB Jon Bostic, who started 32 games in his career, including every game in 2011 and 2012.

But Quinn’s departure on Thursday to become the defensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks muddies things even more. Quinn’s defenses ranked among the top 10 nationally in his two seasons at Florida. The Gators were fifth nationally in scoring (15.4 ppg), second in pass efficiency defense, and fourth in rush defense (94.9 ypg), and gave up only seven passing touchdowns, which was second only to Boise State (four), in 2012. In 2011, the Gators ranked eighth nationally in total defense, seventh nationally in passing defense, and second nationally in third-down defense.

His replacement, Durkin, has been UF’s linebackers coach and special teams coordinator since 2010. He has never been a coordinator before. Quinn had only been one for one year (Hofstra in 2000), but he had spent the previous 10 seasons in the NFL before joining Muschamp’s inaugural staff. However, Durkin has done a good job coordinating UF’s special teams (the Gators rank 11th or better in three statistical categories) and after watching him for two seasons, Muschamp quickly promoted him to succeed Quinn.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- No. 3 Florida plays No. 21 Louisville on Wednesday in the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. It’s just the third meeting between the schools (the Gators have won the previous meetings in 1980 and 1992).

Here are five storylines for the game:

1. Contain Teddy Bridgewater: The Louisville quarterback doesn’t have big rushing numbers (43 yards, one touchdown), but he’s a mobile threat who is pretty good at avoiding pressure and scrambling out of trouble. Bridgewater has been successful in and out of the pocket. However, the Gators have had good success against mobile quarterbacks this season. They’ve limited South Carolina’s Connor Shaw, Florida State’s EJ Manuel, and they also shut down eventual Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel in the second half. They key will be a disciplined pass rush to keep Bridgewater in the pocket. That’s still rolling the dice a bit, though, because he’s fifth nationally in completion percentage (69.0 percent) and passer efficiency rating (161.22).

2. Get Mike Gillislee going: The Gators’ senior running back is the first UF player to rush for 1,000 yards in a season since Ciatrick Fason in 2004. The offense feeds off of his success, and he’s coming off perhaps his best performance of the season: 140 yards and two touchdowns against Florida State and the nation’s top-ranked rushing defense. Louisville’s rush defense is allowing 151.1 yards per game. The Cardinals held Rutgers to 54 yards rushing, but four of their previous five opponents rushed for at least 197 yards. Louisville gave up 255 yards to Temple and 278 yards to Syracuse in back-to-back games.

3. Win the turnover battle: Turnovers are one of the main reasons the Gators went from 7-6 last season to 11-1 in 2012. UF was minus-12 last season and is plus-14 this season. UF forced only 14 turnovers in 2011 but has forced 26 this season, including 19 interceptions. The only game in which the Gators had a negative turnover margin was the only game they lost. They were minus-3 against Georgia. Louisville has done a very good job of not turning the ball over (five fumbles, seven interceptions) and never turned the ball over more than twice in any game. Both quarterbacks have done a good job of protecting the ball, too. Bridgewater has thrown seven interceptions, while UF’s Jeff Driskel has thrown just three.

4. Keep emotions in check: There are numerous Gators players who were on the team in Louisville coach Charlie Strong’s last season as Florida's defensive coordinator (2009). He was one a very popular coach and someone the players could talk to about anything. Even the offensive players gravitated toward Strong. They don’t keep in regular contact with Strong, but there are still some fond feelings about their time with him. In addition to the seniors, there are several other players who also could be playing their final game with the Gators: S Matt Elam, DT Sharrif Floyd, DE Dominique Easley and TE Jordan Reed. How will they handle themselves? Sometimes players in that situation play tentatively or too conservatively, because they’re afraid of getting hurt.

5. Get something from a young player on offense: Offensive coordinator Brent Pease said WRs Latroy Pittman and Raphael Andrades, who have combined for just four catches, have improved during the bowl practices in Gainesville. The coaching staff is hoping they can do something similar to what CB Loucheiz Purifoy did last December. He was impressive during the bowl practices, played well in the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl and became a starter and key part of this year’s defense. There is no other position on the team that needs someone to emerge more than receiver. If Pittman or Andrades can come up with a couple plays, that will be a boost for the offense against Louisville -- and also deliver some momentum for the offense heading into the offseason.

Editor’s note: Each day between now and Florida’s Allstate Sugar Bowl date with Louisville, GatorNation will review the season for a key Gators player and attempt to project what’s next. Today we’ll look at DE Dominique Easley.

DE Dominique Easley
Junior
21 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 2 QB hurries, one fumble recovery

Role in 2012: Easley spent his first two seasons at Florida at defensive tackle, but he was moved outside this season. It was designed to boost the pass rush, and Easley’s sacks went up.

The good: Easley is a natural defensive end and the move outside helped him nearly triple his sacks from 2011 (1.5). He came back from a torn left ACL suffered in November 2011 to start all 10 games in which he played. His biggest asset is his quickness and his first step, but he’s got decent power to go along with that, too. He’s also got an added dose of nastiness, and the team feeds off his energy.

The bad: Easley has the potential to be a dominant pass-rushing defensive end, but there were games where he was no factor. The consistency wasn’t there. A big reason is the ACL injury. It usually takes more than one season for a player to be completely back, especially at a position like end that puts a lot of pressure on the knees. He had a problem with his right knee this season, missing two games because of swelling.

Crystal ball: Though he’s a bit undersized at 6-foot-2, Easley is an intriguing NFL prospect because of his speed and quickness. Defensive end is a premium position, so his value is pretty high, which means Easley has to decide if he wants to leave for the NFL a year early or return for his senior season. He’s likely no worse than a fourth-round pick right now. Easley’s draft stock would likely be higher next season another year away from the ACL injury, but he recently had a son, so that could be a big factor in the decision.

Editor’s note: GatorNation is counting down the top five moments of Florida’s 2012 season this week. They could be plays, drives, quarters or decisions, but regardless of what they are, they are the significant moments that shaped the season.

We continue with No. 3: Jarred loose

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- All it took was one hit to erase a disastrous third quarter and send Florida to a huge victory over rival Florida State. And it only happened because starting linebacker Jelani Jenkins was out of the game with a foot injury.

"Man down, man up," UF coach Will Muschamp said after the Gators’ 37-26 victory in Tallahassee, Fla., on Nov. 24. "It happened for us again. A guy goes in and makes a play. Regardless of the situation or the circumstances, we tell our guys it really doesn’t matter. We don’t use excuses. We did enough of that last year. So when a guy gets hurt and the next guy comes in, he needs to play well."

The guy on this particular Saturday was freshman LB Antonio Morrison. He was the one who hammered FSU QB EJ Manuel and knocked the ball loose at the Seminoles’ 42-yard line with about 11 minutes remaining in the game. DE Dominique Easley recovered the fumble and returned it to the FSU 37.

One play later, RB Mike Gillislee scored the go-ahead touchdown, and the Gators tacked on two others to snap a two-game losing streak in the series.

That erased a third quarter in which FSU scored 17 points to take a 20-13 lead. Caleb Sturgis’ 32-yard field goal with 13:31 to play had cut the Seminoles’ lead to 20-16 before Morrison made one of the season’s most critical plays.

The freshman from Bolingbrook, Ill., is undersized for an SEC linebacker -- he’s 6-foot-1 and 216 pounds -- but he hits like a 250-pounder. He drove his left shoulder into Manuel’s right shoulder while LB Lerentee McCray was dragging Manuel to the ground and jarred the ball loose.

The 6-5, 240-pound Manuel went down hard and went to the sidelines woozy. The Seminoles soon followed.

"He is physical," NT Omar Hunter said of Morrison, who has 31 tackles and played in every game this season. "I don’t know if he knows anything else, but he is physical."

That play is essentially the reason the Gators are playing in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. UF’s victory over FSU ensured the Gators a spot in the top four in the BCS standings, which results in an automatic berth in a BCS bowl.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Here’s a recap of how Florida’s players on national award Watch lists are faring this season:

LB Jon Bostic
Watch lists: College Football Performance Award Linebacker Trophy, Butkus Award, Rotary Lombardi.
Last week’s stats: four tackles.
Season stats: 38 tackles, three sacks for minus-17 yards, three QB hurries, one forced fumble, two pass break-ups.
Comment: Stats don’t show it, but he played a solid game against the Gamecocks.

FB Trey Burton
Watch list: CFPA Running Back Trophy.
Last week’s stats: five carries for 10 yards, 1-for-1 passing for 1 yard, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery.
Season stats: 15 carries for 119 yards and two TDs, seven catches for 74 yards, 1-for-1 passing for 1 yard, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery.
Comment: His hit on Ace Sanders resulted in a fumble he recovered to set up Florida’s second touchdown.

P Kyle Christy
Watch list: CFPA Punter Trophy
Last week’s stats: averaged 54.3 yards on seven punts.
Season stats: averaging 47.9 yards on 36 punts, 13 inside the 20, 18 of at least 50 yards.
Comment: Huge day vaulted him to No. 1 in the nation in punting. Won SEC Special Teams Player of the Week.

WR/KR Andre Debose
Watch lists: CFPA All-Purpose Trophy, CFPA Kickoff Returner Trophy, CFPA Wide Receiver Trophy, Biletnikoff.
Last week’s stats: one punt return for 19 yards, one kickoff return for 39 yards.
Season stats: averaging 25.3 yards on 12 kickoff returns, averaging 10.2 on nine punt returns, two carries for 1 yard, one catch for 5 yards.
Comment: Debose did a much better job of coming up to field punts and saving the Gators yardage. He’s starting to develop the consistency the coaching staff is looking for.

DE Dominique Easley
Watch list: Ted Hendricks Award.
Last week’s stats: one tackle, one sack for minus-3 yards.
Season stats: nine tackles, two sacks for minus-8 yards, two QB hurries.
Comment: He blew up South Carolina’s first place, forcing QB Connor Shaw to hold onto the ball too long and setting the stage for Loucheiz Purifoy’s strip sack.

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GAINESVILE, Fla. -- Florida coach Will Muschamp took to the SEC's weekly teleconference on Wednesday morning to talk about the Gators’ game against South Carolina on Saturday. He touched on the Gators' injury situation, the pressure that coaches face in the SEC compared to other conferences, and offensive coordinator Brent Pease's ability to adapt as a play-caller.

1. Gators getting healthier

"[James] Wilson and [Dominique] Easley practiced yesterday. [Jelani] Jenkins practiced yesterday. [Jonotthan] Harrison will be back on the field today. [Xavier] Nixon will be back on the field today. Not sure about [Latroy] Pittman. That would be the one I would have a question mark on based on our press conference Monday."

2. More pressure on coaches in the SEC?

"Well I've only been a head coach here in the SEC. Obviously being a player here in this league and being a defensive coordinator for a long time in this league, week in, week out there are no gimmes in this league. That's what I would say separates our conference from a lot of conferences. When you line up each week in this league you'd better bring your 'A' game and play well. I think pressure's what you put on yourself as far as internally. I don't really worry about anything outside of our building other than preparing our football team week in and week out and controlling the things you can control. That's the way I've always been as a coordinator or position coach and now as a head coach. Let's just worry about things we can control."

3. Brent Pease adapts to personnel

"That's what good coaches do. They identify, 'This is who we are,' and I think sometimes in the coaching world the ... biggest mistakes is not identifying who you are. We've identified who we are and Brent's done a fantastic job. Brent's not a stat guy. Most of these offensive guys are all stat guys. That's all they care about. He cares about winning football games and doing what we need to do to win the game. So it's a credit to him. He played to his strengths at Boise and that was Kellen Moore. Right now we're playing good defense and special teams and running the ball."