Lost in much of the offseason hype for Florida this spring is the fact the Gators have to replace several linemen in Gainesville. While the bad news is the Gators are replacing four starters on the offensive line from last season, the good news is the coaching staff has plenty of talent to work with and signed an incredible class of linemen from the high school ranks.

With four 2019 early enrollees already on campus (Ethan White, Kingsley Eguakun, William Harrod and Michael Tarquin all arrived this winter) and competing in spring practice, without naming names, Dan Mullen is already seeing several linemen step up their development this spring.

Here is what Mullen offered up when asked about the state of the offensive line play thus far into spring ball.

“I’ll know a lot more when the pads go on. There’s a lot of youth and inexperience in that group so that’s one thing that is going to take a little bit of time for those guys,” Mullen continued. “There’s installs going on — with one series with the (second team line), there was a redshirt freshman and four basically high school kids out there running the number two huddle. And their third install in three practices, they are going up against defenses that are probably well advanced than anything they have ever seen before.”

While that may be the case, Mullen has been impressed with some of his young players’ early performances, despite their lack of experience. The way the Florida coach sees it, the best players rise to the occasion when forced to adapt or get left behind.

“I don’t get frustrated with it, I think I’m seeing, especially in the young guys have picked it up a little faster than you are used to seeing,” he said. “I think that happens when they are forced to play up (to your competition).”

That has got to be encouraging to hear for Florida fans because with all the momentum Mullen’s program has on the offensive side of the ball, the only thing that appears capable of holding them back in 2019 is the offensive line. If that unit comes together in a hurry, something that was an unknown last season at this time as well before the unit performed well on the field in the fall, there’s no doubt Florida could challenge Georgia for the right to go to the 2019 SEC Championship Game.