Tennessee football: Top 10 SEC stars Vols have to account for in 2022
Florida Gators. 5. Offensive line. O'Cyrus Torrence. player. 840. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
6’5″ 347 pounds
Yes, an offensive lineman made this list. Forget Anthony Richardson. If he torches Tennessee football, it’ll be because of a dominant rushing attack that got things going, and O’Cyrus Torrence will be the catalyst for that given what he can do at guard in Billy Napier’s new system. As a result, Florida has an offensive lineman on this list.
Two offensive linemen actually almost made it. Emil Ekiyor Jr. of Alabama is another elite player up front the Vols will have to deal with, and both play guard. However, Alabama is so loaded that Ekiyor won’t be the difference that sets Alabama’s offense off on a tear next year.
Torrence could do that, though. For the past three years, Torrence has played for Napier with the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns. He then followed Napier and transferred to Florida. As a result, he’s already familiar with the system. In three years as a starter, he has yet to allow a sack. There’s a reason he was two-time All Sun Belt and is a preseason All-American.
If Richardson can get fully healthy, his mobility while playing behind a massive blocker like Torrence is exactly the baseline Napier needs to get his system going. That could give Tennessee football lots of trouble too, trouble they don’t need when trying to finally beat Florida.