Florida football: Richard Gouraige can sharpen his skills in Buffalo

Florida football was very relevant at this year’s NFL Draft, seeing many of their players come off the board and get their names called on the big stage.

But there were a couple of Gators who didn’t see their name pop up over those seven rounds, and instead are signing deals as undrafted free agents.

One of those is offensive tackle Richard Gouraige, who is set to go play for the Buffalo Bills in his rookie season.

Richard was a key part of the Gator offensive line that allowed Florida’s running game to be as lethal as it was. He’s a massive presence on the exterior of the line and has the strength to move people against their will.

One reason he fell out of the draft lies in his unpolished technique and the issues that arise from them.

One problem is lower body stiffness and an inability to react well to the defender’s moves. This gets him beaten and takes away his strength advantage.

In the run game, he’ll also choose to lunge at defenders rather than set his feet and muscle them out of the way, allowing them to get by him easier and make a play.

These are all small things that the coaches in Buffalo will be able to help him with to turn him into a better player.

Richard gets to reunite with O’Cyrus Torrence with the Bills, so that familiar face in the OL room with him should help him be comfortable. Justin Shorter also made his way to Buffalo to play with them.

Gouraige’s upside is the reason that Buffalo signed him. It’s up to him to prove them right and show the league what he can do.

Keep up with Florida football at Hail Florida Hail.