Florida Football: Roderick Kearney is trying to make an early splash
The offensive line for Florida football did not look good at the Orange and Blue game last month. Part of the issue was the injuries along the line that forced a number of guys into action that wasn’t quite ready.
And while, once healthy, we think we have a good idea of who will comprise the line once the Gators begin the season, there are still projected backups that are pushing hard in the offseason to be ready if needed.
Florida Football: Rise and Grind
Roderick Kearney was the four-star offensive lineman signed out of Orange Park as part of the class of 2023. He enrolled early with Florida footballRoderick Kearney and was on the Blue Team during the Spring Game. He was noted for his physicality and aggressiveness in high school.
While there may have been some questions as to where he would play in college, given his usage all over the line in high school, he posted a training video yesterday that confirmed he is training exclusively to be a center for the Gators.
Kearney looks solid in this video. His agility and quickness stand out for a player listed at 6’4″ and 290 pounds.
Now the reality is that for him to make it in the SEC, he will need to add more weight to go along with the agility. But the projected starter Kingsley Eguakun is listed at 6’3: and 301 pounds, so Kearney wouldn’t have far to go.
If Eguakun stays healthy this season and matches his play from 2022, there is a solid chance that Kearney will wind up redshirting this season if his plan is to only stick at center.
But keep this video in mind if something does happen and Eguakun does go down that the backup center for 2023 is working hard to stay ready if his name does get called.