Florida Gators: Don’t forget about Kadarius Toney in the 2021 NFL Draft
By Jeremy Klump
I am guilty of giving former Florida Gators tight end Kyle Pitts all the spotlight as he enters the 2021 NFL Draft. Pitts has definitely earned the spotlight, and he is my No. 1 player in the 2021 NFL Draft. However, I think it is time we start giving former Gators receiver Kadarius Toney the love he deserves.
Toney had an interesting career at Florida. His first three seasons did not go as planned, as injuries really set him back. Before the 2020 season, Toney only caught 50 passes for 606 yards and two scores. He also added 419 yards rushing and two scores. That gave him 1,025 total yards and five total touchdowns (he threw a touchdown in 2018, too, so that is added here).
When the ball was in his hands in 2019, he showed that he could be a dangerous weapon, but it still felt like it wasn’t all clicking for him. He only played in seven games, and it remained to be seen him he could be the weapon many thought he would be at Florida.
Smartly, Toney returned to Florida in 2020 for his senior year. What a life-changing decision that was. Toney stayed healthy, playing in 11 games. He caught 70 passes for 984 yards and 10 scores. Toney added 161 yards rushing and a score while also returning a punt for a touchdown. He blew his first three years of college production out of the water, totaling 1,145 yards and 12 scores.
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Toney’s impressive senior year helped cement him as one of the best playmakers in the 2021 NFL Draft. Watching Toney with the ball is always a treat, as you never know if he is one missed tackle away from taking it to the house. His ability to make people miss seems fake at times, and the game looks so slow for him. He can navigate through traffic and pick up yards that did not even seem like they were there.
The 5-11, 189-pound receiver showcased his skills at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, embarrassing any defender that tried to cover him. Toney was a hot name after the Senior Bowl, but his stock has seemed to plateau as of late.
I am here to tell you that you should not forget about Toney in the 2021 NFL Draft. Toney has a chance to be a swiss army knife-type weapon for a team in the NFL. He is not as fast as Tyreek Hill, but he has the playmaking ability of Hill. I think a fair comparison for Toney would be Curtis Samuel, a guy that can line up all over for your team and make plays.
Toney will likely be a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. If he does drop to the second round, a team will be getting a steal. It was fun to watch Toney dominate the competition in his senior season at Florida, and it will be even better to watch him shine in the NFL.