Florida football went through a complete roster rehaul over the offseason, seeing several departures and additions along with a new coaching staff.
Wide receiver Vernell Brown III, who had a strong freshman season, is noticing players on both ends of the ball that he believes will step up in the coming few months. Brown spoke to Swamp247 at SEC media days and highlighted the two guys he thinks are flying a bit under the radar.
First is a player that was with the team last year but didn’t quite have the breakout year many expected. Sophomore cornerback Ben Hanks III was a five-star recruit in the 2025 cycle. Expectations were high for him after setting the Miami-Dade County single-season record with 13 interceptions as a high school senior, but he only appeared in three games last year.
Now, Hanks should be a regular in the secondary rotation, even if Dijon Johnson and Cormani McClain start the season ahead of him on the depth chart. Hanks recorded his first interception against Florida State last year and snagged another in the spring game. Brown gets a first-hand look at Hanks’ skill in practice, so his praise is genuine.
“Ben Hanks is a guy, for sure,” Brown said. “He’s really stepped up this year, and I think it’ll be a fun year… I can count on that every time I line up against him, I’m gonna get his best; and he can count on that every time he lines up against me, he’s gonna get my best,” said Brown.”
On the offensive side of things, Brown identified Georgia Tech transfer Harrison Moore, a junior set to start at center for Florida.
“He’s really embraced taking a leadership role in the offensive line room, just embracing their standard…” he said. “Obviously, I’m not around those guys much; I’m not there working with those guys. But, just having someone that’s a player that’s going through it with you. It’s always different when it’s coming from a player versus a coach, and just him embracing that leadership role and being that player that’ll say something.”
Every football team needs veteran leaders, especially in the trenches, so it’s a big plus that a new face is already making an impact for the offense.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: These two Florida football players are flying under the radar
Reporting by David Rosenberg, Gators Wire / Gators Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By David Rosenberg, Gators Wire | USA TODAY Network
