We are 71 days away from Florida's Week 1 matchup against Long Island University set for Saturday, August 30, meaning it's time to count down the days until Gator Football. To help the time pass and pay homage to some of the all-time greats, we're going to highlight the best player to wear the jersey number corresponding to the number of days until kickoff.
The countdown will continue with the best player to wear number 71. We'll stick in the 21st century for today's honoree.
Mike Pearson: Best Florida player to wear #71
Pearson's Gator career lasted just three innings, yet he's one of the most accomplished offensive lineman the university has produced.
Spanning 1999 to 2001, Pearson started 33 of the 35 games he played in and provided a dominating presence at the tackle position.
He earned First-Team All-American Freshman team by The Sporting News and earned back-to-back All-American honors in 2000 and 2001, one with the first team and one with the second team.
Pearson also possesses a unique story. He missed a significant portion of the 2000 preseason after sustaining a fractured skull in a motor vehicle accident. Just a couple of months after the injury, Pearson suited up and started all 13 of Florida's games -- one of five Gators that year to do so.
His status as one of the best offensive tackles in the country was reflected by his NFL Draft status. He was selected with the 40th overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, but spent just four years in the NFL.
Pearson did go on to finish his playing career in Canada and played with the Toronto Argonauts in 2007 before injuries ultimately forced him to retire from football in 2008.