Will Justin Shorter be the Florida Gators’ No. 1 target?
By Jeremy Klump
It remains to be seen who will step up and become the No. 1 receiver for the Florida Gators this season, but former 5-star recruit and Penn State transfer Justin Shorter has a chance to be the No. 1 target for the Gators in 2021.
The Gators lost their top three pass catchers to the 2021 NFL Draft. Kyle Pitts was drafted No. 4 overall to the Atlanta Falcons. Kadarius Toney was taken with the 20th overall pick to the New York Giants. Trevon Grimes was a steal as an undrafted free agent to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Fellow wide receiver Jacob Copeland has a chance to be the guy in 2021 as well, but Shorter has all the makings of becoming a dominant No. 1 receiver for Florida. For starters, Shorter is a monster. He is 6-5 and listed at 227 pounds on Florida’s roster. A player at that size with Shorter’s ability should excite Gators fans.
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Shorter never really flashed in 2020, but the room was filled with the three players that are now on NFL rosters, so he never really had the chance to shine. However, with Pitts, Toney, and Grimes gone, Florida will need someone to really showcase their skills at the receiver position.
Shorter has a chance to show he is a dominant receiver and then get drafted early in the 2022 NFL Draft. That is how good he is, but we need to see him put it all together this season. Having Emory Jones at quarterback to lead head coach Dan Mullen’s offense will be beneficial for Shorter. Yes, they will not throw as much as they did with Kyle Trask.
Will Justin Shorter thrive in Florida’s new offense?
However, with Jones’ rushing ability, it will make life easier for the receivers. They will get a lot more man-to-man coverage, and that is where Shorter should thrive.
He can become an alpha for the Gators on the outside and make defenses respect their passing game. Time will tell if Shorter will be the No. 1 target in 2021, but he has a real shot at cementing himself as the guy this season.