Florida football : 2021 All-Gators playmakers team

With the recent sad passing of legendary NFL icon, John Madden, I have decided to honor him by putting together a “starting lineup” of the current best Florida Gators in the NFL. The Florida football program has put out some unbelievable athletes in the last decade, and we will look at the best Gator at each position.

John Madden put his list together a little differently back in the day. Most players on Madden’s team’s were selected on their ability but also their overall toughness. We are just going to stick with the players who pump out the best results for their respective teams.

Today we are announcing our Gator playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. Let’s take a look at the 2021 All-Gator NFL team (offensive playmakers)

Quarterback: Felipe Franks – Atlanta Falcons

Well, I mean there just isn’t much else to select from. The only other quarterback currently in the league is Kyle Trask. I believe Trask will make this list in future years, but he hasn’t gotten into a game and is usually watching undressed. Felipe Franks appeared in four games in the 2021 NFL season, he threw one pass, it was intercepted. He also had three rushing attempts for six yards. That sadly is our selection for quarterback.

Running back: Lamichal Perine – New York Jets

This is also another sad category for the Florida football program. Currently, only two running backs from the Gators are on NFL teams, the other is Jordan Scarlett (Miami Dolphins), and he hasn’t seen the field yet this year. Lamichal Perine saw 64 carries in his rookie season, also punching two of them in for touchdowns. 2021 hasn’t been as kind for Perine, he has been seldom used in just two games, which he has just 31 yards to show for the season. Perine gets the vote here, only Gator running back to see the field this season.

Wide Receiver 1: Van Jefferson – Los Angeles Rams

Finally, a position where the Gators have a little bit of depth in the NFL. Van Jefferson gets the number one spot here after a successful second year in the league. With two games remaining, Jefferson has easily had the highest production out of any Gator alumni WR. He has tallied 44 catches and six touchdowns on the year, while averaging 16.1 yards per catch. He has become a dependable option for Ram quarterback Matt Stafford, and I only expect bigger and better things for him next season.

Wide Receiver 2: Kadarius Toney – New York Giants

A rookie wideout cracks the number two receiver spot on this list, it’s Kadarius Toney. Fresh off an electric senior season in Florida, Toney has produced at the NFL level, despite problems at quarterback for the Giants. Toney has had some injury problems in his rookie year and has only appeared in nine games for the Giants, but has caught 39 passes in those nine games. The Giants have made it a game-plan to get the ball to the electric wide receiver. He had a breakout game against the Dallas Cowboys, where Toney caught 10 balls for 189 yards.

Wide Receiver 3: Freddie Swain- Seattle Seahawks

Freddie Swain gets the nod in the last receiver spot on this list. Swain has 22 catches for 3 touchdowns so far in 2021. It is possible that he could be in the 30-catch range if Russel Wilson had a full healthy season. But, it is good enough to get the nod over runner up, Demarcus Robinson.

Tight End: Kyle Pitts- Atlanta Falcons

A unanimous selection, Kyle Pitts is the only Gator tight end in the league. Okay, okay, he is also one of the best tight ends in football as well. So far Pitts’ has recorded 64 catches for an NFL rookie tight end record 949 yards. The shocking part to his season, Kyle has only found the end-zone one time this year. Even so, he is the most dynamic offensive Gator alumni in the league, and I only expect him to get better and better the next few seasons.

Thats what we have for the Gators starting lineup on the offensive playmaker side of the ball. Tomorrow, we take a look at the starting linemen on both sides of the ball. The Florida football program has no shortage of depth on the offensive line, so it will be a tough list to crack.