Florida football: Gators receivers have high ceiling, low floor
By Will Thomas
![Florida Gators wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (1) tries to pull in a touchdown reception in the second half while being defended by South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back DQ Smith (27). Florida hosted the South Carolina Gamecocks in the last home game of the season at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida, on Saturday, November 12, 2022. The Gators won 38-6. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]Ncaa Football Florida Gators Vs South Carolina Gamecocks](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2Fd2484e0cfa7601ceae729226cc92a27cb0a07e4a8b3e7ac1af4f97cf63181cab.jpg "Florida Gators wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (1) tries to pull in a touchdown reception in the second half while being defended by South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back DQ Smith (27). Florida hosted the South Carolina Gamecocks in the last home game of the season at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida, on Saturday, November 12, 2022. The Gators won 38-6. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]Ncaa Football Florida Gators Vs South Carolina Gamecocks")
Florida football: Familiar faces at the top of the group
Ricky Pearsall came into Gainesville last season as a transfer from Arizona State and wasted no time introducing himself to Gator Nation.
He opened up with a four-catch, 67-yard effort against Utah, and had his best game of the year in Tallahassee where he had five catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns.
On the season he totaled 33 catches for 661 yards and five touchdowns. Pearsall will be the undisputed leader of the receiver group as we head into the season.
The Gators do lose their #2 pass-catcher from last year in Justin Shorter, but Xzavier Henderson is ready to step into that role and play a bigger part in the offense this season.
Henderson was mainly used in short screen passes and backfield throws, but hopefully, we get to see him downfield a little more this season.
Last year he caught 38 balls for 410 yards and scored twice, including this big-time score against Georgia.
Anthony Richardson ➡️ Xzavier Henderson
— 247Sports (@247Sports) October 29, 2022
Florida has scored 17 unanswered points and its a one-score game in Jacksonville.pic.twitter.com/qdnAoGs70v
The third spot doesn’t have a certain suitor, but it will likely be between Caleb Douglas and Ja’Quavion Fraziers.
Douglas is coming into his sophomore season after a freshman year that showed some good promise. He caught 10 balls for 175 yards and scored twice, with a long of 62 yards.
Caleb is ready to show everyone what he’s capable of this season and could prove to be a very good option for Mertz in the Gator offense.
Fraziers had a quiet season last year, only catching five passes for 60 yards, but that did include a touchdown and a two-point conversion against Utah.
Ja’Quavion is coming into his junior season with something to prove, and I’d expect to see him make more meaningful catches this season when he has the opportunity.