How Florida’s Wide Receiver Room Changes Without Xzavier Henderson

Photo: Andy Jean; Credit: Alex Shepherd

Florida's youth movement is officially underway out wide.

Losing any starter at this point in preparation for the upcoming season is a challenge. But, there are pros and cons to Xzavier Henderson's unexpected post-spring departure for and against the Gators' favor.

Accounting for 38 receptions, 410 yards and two touchdowns, Henderson received the highest usage of any Gators wideout through the air in 2022.

He also earned recognition as a standout during Florida's spring practice sessions, notably dominating during the second spring scrimmage, according to head coach Billy Napier.

"You know Xzavier Henderson had an exceptional day, made a ton of plays and got a ton of production, the ball went his way and he made some really good plays today," Napier said on April 6.

As a result, replacing the production in Billy Gonzales' position group, albeit limited relative to other top wideouts in college football, is a difficult hurdle to jump. That's increasingly true when factoring in the obvious step in the right direction he took this spring.

But, the loss may not hurt in the way many may think.

While Henderson brought experience and affirmation of progression entering his fourth season to the lineup, his career at UF underwhelmed relative to the expectations he garnered as a high four-star prospect out of high school.

It makes the loss easier to stomach.

It isn't as simple to pass off the duties of last season's leading wideout in receptions, though, in an offense that will likely experience its share of growing pains in life without Anthony Richardson at the helm in 2023. 

Not only is the uncertainty at quarterback with the ongoing battle of Graham Mertz and Jack Miller going to be an obstacle — although the rushing game will earn the nod as the foremost priority in the offense — but the comforting veteran presence Henderson provided departs with him.

Now, the Gators will have to lean on just one returning starter at receiver and an influx of inexperienced athletes to compensate for the lost contributions on and off the field.

Ricky Pearsall, the most experienced and talented member of the receiving corps from a season ago, will shoulder a significant portion of the veteran leadership burden.

The former Sun Devil was lured to Gainesville last spring to fill a crucial void in the offense. He did so en route to a team-leading 661 yards and five receiving touchdowns on 33 receptions.

Florida could look to do the same with another wide receiver transfer prospect this off-season. However, that aspect of their portal approach being mere speculation, All Gators can only forecast how the team will fill the void based on the position's current makeup and performances in spring camp.

It's not as bleak as the surface-level view may suggest.

Unlike a year ago, where Henderson's duties were a necessity in a barren wide receiver corps, the Gators made his services a luxury for the upcoming year after equipping the room with polished talent during the latest recruiting cycle. 

They added a legitimate replacement option at the Z-receiver spot — with upward potential to star as an X-receiver in the future — in Andy Jean, a dynamic pass-catching option with the speed, elusiveness and route running polish needed to excel as a true freshman. He's, rightfully, earned rave reviews throughout the spring practice regimen from the coaching staff, increasing expectations for his immediate contributions.

"Gator fans should be excited about him," Pearsall said about Jean on Apr. 1. "He came in right away, and the first thing I noticed is he’s really polished. I can tell he’s been coached by a lot of good coaches, and he’s already so polished at a young age, so he’s got a big future.”  

Without the glass ceiling of seniority often placed above newly minted pieces — a well-established system under the previous regime — Jean is slated for an abundance of early playing time at UF. The Miami Northwestern High product can serve in multiple fashions, providing a possession receiver option and big-play threat despite his youth.

If things click quickly for Jean, there's potential for Florida to upgrade by default.

He joins rising sophomore wideout Caleb Douglas, who is expected to assume a starting role when the calendar rolls over to Aug. 31 for the season-opening bout against Utah in Salt Lake City. 

Douglas was already slated to lineup opposite Henderson in the upcoming year, filling the spot vacated by Justin Shorter this offseason. The theory is all but solidified without Henderson in the mix. 

After seeing a heightened role amid widespread injury at the position last season, the late addition to the 2022 signing class is entering an early prove-it year in his career as other talent nips at his heels.

Most notably, redshirt sophomore Marcus Burke has begun to emerge as a viable rotational option with Douglas at the X spot or Jean at the Z, drawing praise from Napier for his jump in maturity off the field.

"I love Marcus," Napier said after the Gators' spring game. "Marcus is a talented young man. Marcus is learning how to be more consistent as a person. I'm proud of him and the progress that he has showed. He is a guy that's always been one of the more talented guys, and I think he has grown up this offseason in particular. He has taken some steps forward just in terms of being dependable, being accountable, being a guy that not only the staff can respect, but also his teammates, his consistency. 

"We're better when Marcus Burke is playing his best football. … He has made some progress, but he is not there yet, and he has an opportunity here in the next couple of months to continue to earn opportunities to play."

He's showcased his high-level skillset in flashes over the last two seasons, and did so again with an impressive snag down the sideline against Gators freshman cornerback Ja'Keem Jackson in the spring game, wrapping his arms around Jackson's torso before pinning the ball to his backplate.

As a result, it's a growing possibility for 2023 to be Burke's first opportunity to prove himself in a high-volume role. The Gators will need him to succeed there due to Henderson's absence.

The quartet of Pearsall, Jean, Douglas and Burke have the upper hand to control a large portion of snap counts while the rest of the pieces play complementary roles, barring any changes to the current makeup of the unit.

For now, eyes will rest on the other two true freshmen Eugene Wilson III and Aidan Mizell alongside Ja'Quavion Fraziars, Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman and walk-on Kahleil Jackson to provide relief to those expected starters. 

Wilson could take on secondary slot receiver duties behind Pearsall this fall, assuming he's in the condition to do so upon his summer arrival. 

Pearsall and Wilson possess the skillsets to absorb the jet sweep and screen pass touches Henderson primarily occupied a season ago. Their short-area quickness and ability to cut up field through small gaps better suit them to excel. 

In a vacuum, the Gators' potential production there increases with those skill sets. 

The unit's core may not be enough to ensure an immediate fix when the year rolls around, but the abundance of stashed talent suggests potential reliability even without last season's leading pass catcher in the mix.

Beyond 2023, the youth movement produced by Henderson's departure could positively affect the unit and the Gators' offense as a whole.

For now, the primary goal will be to get the most out of the abundance of talent Gonzales' group holds as quickly as possible.