Florida football: Top five performers against Florida State

3. Van Jefferson

Since Dan Mullen’s return to Gainesville in December of 2017, the most consistent player he has brought to the Florida program either through recruiting or the transfer portal has been Van Jefferson.

The Gators have had some talented wide receivers on its roster in between Mullen’s two tenures at Florida. However, none have been able to maintain a level of consistency in the passing game to help Florida alleviate its offensive woes.

When Van Jefferson transferred to Florida in 2018, the former Ole Miss Rebel was expected to be a major contributor early by Florida’s coaching staff. That season Jefferson led the team in catches (35), yards (503), and touchdowns (6).

Entering Saturday night’s game against the Seminoles, Jefferson had already surpassed his catch total from one year ago with 39 in 11 games. He was also on the verge of matching and surpassing his receiving yards and touchdown totals from 2018, with 466 yards and four touchdowns accrued in 2019.

In his final game in the Swamp, Jefferson proved once again to his teammates, coaches, and Florida fans why he has remained Florida’s most reliable target in the passing game.

Jefferson was responsible for Florida’s first big play of the night, catching the ball on a short slant route and taking it 19 yards up the field to help convert a 3rd and 10. Six plays later, Jefferson would catch another pass off a slant route thrown behind him for 10 yards, helping set up a 4th and 1 play that would be converted on a quarterback draw.

Several drives later and with barely five minutes left in the first half, Jefferson would once again showcase is reliability on third downs. Faced with another 3rd and 10 at the Florida State 13-yard line, quarterback Kyle Trask threw the ball in the back of the blue-colored end zone. Reaching over former five-star defensive back Levonta Taylor, Jefferson would haul the pass in for his first touchdown of the game and escalating Florida’s lead by 20 points.

On Florida’s first offensive drive in the second half, Jefferson would catch his final touchdown in Gainesville. Responsible for helping convert on third down on the previous play via pass interference, Jefferson would burn Taylor again on a slant route to catch a 6-yard touchdown strike from backup quarterback Emory Jones.

Jefferson ended the evening with 48 receiving yards off five catches. His two touchdown catches were tied with Swain for the most in the game and also marked his third multiple touchdown game in his Florida career.