A lot has changed in college football over the past four years, starting with the onset of a coronavirus outbreak that threatened every sport at the peak of the pandemic, and adding in names, images and likenesses, you have the basic recipe for where we are today.
Max Olson of The Athletic recently released his rankings for the 2020 season, following the publication's series of rookie re-rankings, when things seemed much simpler. Among the teams selected was the Florida Gators, who were ranked 8th at the end of the cycle four years ago but 21st in the re-rankings.
“The grading system we use to evaluate these classes is a zero to five scale inspired by the star system in the recruiting industry,” Olson explained. “We grade our scholarship recipients and scholarship walk-ons based on what they've accomplished over four years, not what they might do in the future.”
5 points: All-American, award winner, top 50 NFL draft pick
Four: Multi-year starter, All-Conference honors
3: 1 Year Starter or Key Reserve
2: Career Backup
0: Little or no contribution
“Dan Mullen had 13 future starters in this signing class, but very few All-SEC players. (Anthony) Richardson, a four-star in-state signee, had to wait his turn behind Emory Jones but showed glimpses of great potential as the Gators' starter in 2022, leading the Colts to select him fourth overall.”
“(Jahvon) Dexter and (Justin) Shorter also developed into draft picks, while OLB Brenton Cox, a transfer from Georgia, made an immediate impact and played in 33 games but was fired during head coach Billy Napier’s debut season.
“Proven starter (Princely) Uman Millen (University of Mississippi) and OL Richie Leonard IV (Florida State) transferred this offseason, bringing the departures from this class to 20 in total.”
The following teams were previously ranked in the top 25 but have been removed from the top 25 in the revised rankings: the Texas A&M Aggies (6th at the time), Auburn Tigers (7th), Oklahoma Sooners (12th), Oregon Ducks (13th), North Carolina Tar Heels (14th), Washington Huskies (17th), Nebraska Cornhuskers (20th), Stanford Cardinals (21st), Florida State Seminoles (22nd), Arizona State Sun Devils (24th) and Kentucky Wildcats (25th).
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire
