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Florida Football Recruiting: What does Mason Short have to offer Gators?

By Benjamin Henderson

Sep 16, 2017; Gainesville, FL, USA; General view of fans cheering and the sign "This is... Gator Country" during the first quarter at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 16, 2017; Gainesville, FL, USA; General view of fans cheering and the sign "This is... Gator Country" during the first quarter at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Later this month, five-star offensive tackle Mason Short will be taking a visit to Gainesville according to Swamp 247. It will be a tough climb to convince Short to join Florida football as the Georgia native has offers from all the big schools in the country.

As Billy Napier gets ready to show Short around campus, how does the class of 2025 lineman film stack up against others?

Florida Football: Not short at all

At 6’6, 280 pounds, Short has all the size needed to grow into a 330+ pound monster at left tackle. In the 247 Sports composite rankings, Short is the 28th-ranked overall player in the nation and the third highest-ranked offensive tackle in the class of 2025. His film from his sophomore year showcases a physical lineman with technique to clean up.

In almost every clip, Short is putting someone on the ground. In part because of his 6’6 frame, he never really gets lower than his opposing defensive linemen, but it doesn’t matter as he just overpowers them whether it is a run or a pass. His highlight package shows opponents trying different moves to get around him, but none of them matter.

What gets trickier to evaluate is whether or not he should be called for holding on several of these clips. There are clips where he genuinely has his hands inside and still overpowers his opponent. There are other moments where he is engaging from outside the shoulder pads. He also has moments where he definitely is sticking his arm out to slow down the defender and would 100% be called for holding in the SEC. His film also doesn’t show him having to pick up an exotic coverage, but it is high school after all.

And because of that, Short is hard to evaluate like most offensive linemen coming out of high school. He will have the size within two years and all the physical tools needed to succeed in the SEC, whether it’s with the Florida Gators or someone else, which is why Billy Napier will welcome him with open arms during his tour this month.

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