How the Florida Gators' 2022 freshman class performed last year

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Gators coach Billy Napier’s transition class in the 2022 recruiting cycle produced a pair of Freshman All-SEC selections and a few first-year starters.

Napier and his staff signed 18 prospects who were true freshman last year, led by running back Freshman All-SEC picks Trevor Etienne and Shemar James.

Florida’s true freshmen appeared in a total of 113 games in 2022, with four players making nine combined starts on the season.

Here is how Napier’s first recruiting class performed for the Gators.

TE Arlis Boardingham

On3 ranking: No. 19 tight end, No. 545 overall recruit (Industry)

2022 season: Saw action in one game and redshirted. Made his collegiate debut against No. 14 Oregon State (Dec. 17) in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Quotable: “With Arlis he’s extremely gifted. He’s a unique player that can do a lot of different things. He can run block, he can pass block, he can run routes, he can catch the ball, he can make plays with the ball in his hand. The big thing with Arlis, and I was telling somebody earlier, is he’s in a position and a role now that we want to be a junior or senior, but in reality he’s a redshirt freshman. It’s our job as coaches to move him along as fast as we can. The most improvement though has been in the meeting room.

“Just from a maturity standpoint on the field he has taken more of a leadership role at a young age. But I think that speaks to the type of person that he is and the type of competitor that he is. So, I would say really more from that standpoint, I’ve seen his growth. The first year you’re spinning. Second year he’s able to kind of make the calls in the run game, know that the nuances in the pass game.” — Gators tight ends coach Russ Callaway

WR Thai Bowman

On3 ranking: N/A

2022 season: Caught seven catches for 138 yards and had three tackles on special teams. Appeared in 12 games. Tied his career-high of 53 yards on two catches in the Las Vegas Bowl with a long of 38 yards.

Quotable: “Thai’s earning respect as well. He was a guy who passed our evaluations, and he was in this class and we found out he was available as a high school qualifier, so we made a decision to go ahead and bring him in. So, he has character. He’s been mentored by some great receiver coaches and receivers. His brother played at Northwestern and had a cup of coffee in the league. He’s got a football background and I think he’s really got good intangibles and I think he’s going to bring some things to our team.” — Gators coach Billy Napier

QB Max Brown

On3 ranking: No. 21 quarterback

2022 season: Did not make any game appearances and redshirted.

Quotable: “Max Brown has really made drastic improvement in year two. Max obviously is a young player who flashes and does a lot of things well. He is still learning and can be more consistent.” — Gators coach Billy Napier

WR Caleb Douglas

On3 ranking: No. 24 wide receiver, No. 167 overall recruit

2022 season: Made 10 catches for 175 yards with two touchdowns. Appeared in the last eight games with two starts. Caught a 62-yard touchdown for his first career reception.

Quotable: “Caleb has shown flashes, made some plays. Caleb is a former quarterback. This is a guy who kind of early in his junior year started playing that receiver position. I think we’re excited about his upside. This guy is 6-3, maybe some change, and weighs close to 200 pounds. He’s got some unique traits I think, the things that are required to play receiver. He’s a developmental player that I think is making progress.” — Gators coach Billy Napier 

RB Trevor Etienne

On3 ranking: No. 20 running back, No. 286 overall recruit (Industry)

2022 season: Freshman All-SEC selection. Rushed 118 times for 719 yards and six touchdowns. Caught nine passes for 66 yards and returned 17 kicks for 421 yards. Appeared in all 13 games.

Quotable: “Trevor Etienne is the biggest kid you ever want to meet. He’s happy go lucky, you know, with a smile on his face. He’s very respectful. Nothing phases him, man. He’s fearless. And honestly man, I just tried not to mess him up last year, right? Tried not to put too much on his plate. And he said, ‘You need to do this, just let him be natural a little bit.’ So now, the game’s slowing down. He’s understanding it better, so we expect even bigger things from him. But Trevor, he’s fearless, man. He don’t care about anything, you know. You can yell at him. He might start smiling if I yell, so I stopped yelling at his ass.” — Gators running back coach Jabbar Juluke

OL Jalen Farmer

On3 ranking: No. 47 interior lineman, No. 638 overall recruit (Industry)

2022 season: Appeared in two games and redshirted. Served as the backup to First-Team All-American guard O’Cyrus Torrence.

Quotable: “Jalen Farmer has been doing awesome. That first year of college is rough. You’re away from home, you get academics, you got football and the last couple months after having surgery, he’s really turned the light switch on in terms of being a pro. Day-in and day-out, he’s coming in and getting extra film. He understands that he’s not getting the physical reps that everybody’s getting so he has to double down on the mental reps.

“I’m very proud of his approach. He’s changed his body and lost quite a bit of weight. He leaned out. He’s probably down to the 320s and he was probably close to the 350s last year, but he looks better. He’s leaner and he’s getting stronger even though he doesn’t have full use of that arm yet. I’m excited to get him back out there rolling and put him in the mix to compete for a job this fall.” — Gators offensive line coach Darnell Stapleton

TE Hayden Hansen

On3 ranking: No. 84 tight end

2022 season: Did not make any game appearances and redshirted.

Quotable: “He’s done a tremendous job. He’s a former quarterback. He’s a very bright young man. Being a quarterback, you wouldn’t think he’d be as physical as he is. But he is extremely physical, does a really nice job in the run. To be a bigger guy has smooth and soft hands and can make plays in the pass game. So really, just all the way around with him. He was kind of in a backseat role last year. Now he’s been kind of thrust forward and I’ve been really impressed with Hayden, I really have.” — Gators tight ends coach Russ Callaway

LB Shemar James

On3 ranking: No. 5 linebacker, No. 57 overall recruit (Industry)

2022 season: Freshman All-SEC selection. Finished the season with 47 tackles, 3 quarterback hurries, 2 TFLs, 2 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Appeared in all 13 games and started four times. Made collegiate debut and first career start in the home opener vs. Utah.

Quotable: “Shemar played about 400 snaps last year. That’s a lot for true freshmen. This is his first spring practice because he wasn’t he wasn’t a mid-year enrollee last year. Shemar’s really, really talented. The thing I love about him is if I say something to him or Coach Armstrong says something to him, it gets applied the next day. He’s got a really high ceiling. He’s going to play a bunch of football here and he’s going to be a really good player.” — Gators inside linebackers coach Jay Bateman

DL Jamari Lyons

On3 ranking: No. 15 defensive tackle, No. 108 overall recruit

2022 season: Appeared in three games and totaled two assisted tackles. Earned a redshirt.

Quotable: “I think is Jamari Lyons has done a great job of controlling his body weight. He was probably in the high 330s and he’s down around 318 right now, so he’s much healthier and he can sustain out there a lot longer.” — Gators co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Sean Spencer

DL Chris McClellan

On3 ranking: No. 17 defensive tackle, No. 123 overall recruit (Industry)

2022 season: Finished 23 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 quarterback hurry. Appeared in all 13 games and made his collegiate debut in the season opener vs. Utah.

Quotable: “Chris McClellan, he’s played a lot of reps. So, what can happen — that’s good and bad. Does he get complacent with that? Well, he hasn’t. He’s trying to take the next step because he knows he needs to improve and play. Now he knows in order to sustain that right to play, he’s got to take his game to the next level. His potential is endless. It’s just a word we throw around but it’s endless. He’s got the the physical tools, he has a strong lower body, he can pass rush, he can hold the point, he’s 320 pounds, he’s got broad shoulders and he might not fit through that door. But he’s got broad shoulders and a great lower body, so we’re excited about him.” — Gators co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Sean Spencer

S Miguel Mitchell

On3 ranking: No. 46 safety

2022 season: Finished the season with 15 tackles, 1 TFL, and 1 forced fumble. Appeared in all 13 games and made his first career start against South Carolina.

Quotable: “Safety is his position. STAR is more of a quicker, faster big guy. But he’s so fast and big, he can do all that. But he’ll be potent where he’s at, at safety. He’s sharp. Big guy that can run, physical. He reminds me of some guys that play on Sundays. He’s got a chance to be really good.” — Gators secondary coach Corey Raymond

CB Devin Moore

On3 ranking: No. 4 cornerback, No. 67 overall recruit

2022 season: Played in five games and totaled six tackles (four solo) before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. Made his collegiate debut in the season-opening victory against Utah, registering one solo tackle and playing on the final series of the game.

Quotable: “Devin has a chance to be really special. He’s been working hard coming back from this injury. He’s got a little rust on him, but you can see the flashes.” — Gators secondary coach Corey Raymond

OLB Jack Pyburn

On3 ranking: No. 51 EDGE, No. 599 overall recruit (Industry)

2022 season: Played in eight games and finished with three solo tackles.

Quotable: “He’s hard-nosed, physical wants to meet every day, wants to work out every day. A guy like Jack Pyburn you gotta love.  He’s always wanting to meet with me one-on-one. Just told me, ‘Coach, when are we going to meet? We’ll meet tomorrow, Jack.’ Everything you’ve seen in the recruitment process you see it on the field. He’s definitely going to have a role on the team. Right now it’s spring ball, everybody’s trying to define their role. You seen last year he had a chance to get out there on special teams. I coach a phase of the kickoff unit and he’s one of my guys I got running down to smack somebody. I’m excited about him on kickoff already.” — Gators EDGE coach Mike Peterson

DL/TE Andrew Savaiinaea

On3 ranking: No. 60 EDGE, No. 757 overall recruit (Industry)

2022 season: Did not make any game appearances and redshirted.

Quotable: “The young guys are Andrew Savaiinaea and then Tony Livingston. They are still kind of picking it up a little bit. But Hayden, Arlis and Scott [Isacks] have done a tremendous job in Year 2. You can see the recall and the ability to go out there and think and play fast.” — Gators tight ends coach Russ Callaway

K Trey Smack

On3 ranking: No. 7 kicker (Industry)

2022 season: Appeared in the final seven games of the season, finishing with an average kickoff of 64.0 yards and 18 touchbacks in 32 attempts.

Quotable: “Trey Smack, we all know how dynamic he is. Certainly, he’s got a bright future in front of him. … The white team did a good job of making a few plays there and putting themselves in position to kick a field goal (in the spring game).” — Gators coach Billy Napier 

S Kamari Wilson

On3 ranking: No. 3 safety, No. 47 overall recruit (Industry)

2022 season: Finished the season with 39 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 forced fumble, and a pass breakup. Played in all 13 games, starting at safety twice.

Quotable: “He’s learning how to be a leader. But he’s still learning. He has leadership traits and he’s learning how to lead. Just with the guys, making sure they’re working in the group that he has. But him learning how to lead, that’s the biggest thing for Kamari. You gotta teach guys how to lead. Some guys have it naturally, but sometimes you have to show them the light and how to lead.” — Gators secondary coach Corey Raymond

OL Christian Williams

On3 ranking: No. 65 interior lineman

2022 season: Appeared in two games and redshirted.

Quotable: “He’s grown. You know, Christian has bounced around from guard to center. He’s getting better day in and day out. And again, we’re relying on these guys to come in here and compete. You know, everybody’s competing for a job. We like to keep it that way because it keeps everybody hungry, right? If somebody feels like, ‘Hey, I got this stuff locked in’ then complacency sets in, and we’re not allowing that in our room.” — Gators offensive line coach Darnell Stapleton

OL David Conner

On3 ranking: No. 47 offensive tackle

2022 season: Did not make any game appearances and redshirted. Transferred to Colorado this spring.