The Gators landed the No. 9 recruiting class in the country in ’14, an impressive haul considering then-head coach Will Muschamp’s tenuous job status entering the year.

But despite an apparent need for emerging talent, especially on offense, the class didn’t offer a ton of immediate help for a Florida team that finished 7-5.

Player Position Starts Games Played
Jalen Tabor CB 5 12
Gerald Willis III DT 0 8
David Sharpe OT 0 6
Treon Harris QB 6 9
J.C. Jackson WR 0 1
Duke Dawson CB 1 11
Quincy Wilson S 2 12
Brandon Powell WR/RB 2 11
C.J. Worton WR 1 3
DeAndre Goolsby TE 0 7
Drew Sarvary* OT 0 4

*Junior college transfer

Overall, 11 of the 25 enrollees played at least one game. Those 11 players participated in a combined 84 games, starting 17.

Two players emerged as regular starters during the second half of the season: CB Jalen Tabor and QB Treon Harris. Both players earned SEC all-freshman honors.

Tabor in particular looks like a star, as he’ll team with Vernon Hargreaves III to form perhaps the toughest cornerback duo in the SEC in 2015. Florida managed to flip Tabor from Arizona late in the ’14 recruiting cycle, and despite starting just five games, he made four tackles for loss, including two sacks, and intercepted a pass. The Gators’ pass defense got better with him on the field.

The Gators didn’t have a great option at quarterback last season, but Harris and redshirt Will Grier, both members of the ’14 class, should compete this spring to start for new coach Jim McElwain. The winner has a chance to hold down the position for at least three seasons, as Florida didn’t sign a quarterback in the 2015 class.

David Sharpe spent most of the preseason in the weight room and at the training table, trying to become an SEC-sized offensive tackle. But he played very well as a true freshman and will compete for a starting position, possibly left tackle, this spring at 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds.

J.C. Jackson played in just one game last fall before an injury forced him to redshirt, but the all-purpose threat has potential at receiver within McElwain’s offense. He was in the car with Harris and Tabor when a campus police officer pulled them over and found marijuana present, and Jackson also got grazed by a bullet on Christmas Eve. But if he stays healthy and stays out of trouble, he could turn into one of the standouts of the ’14 class. He could return kicks this fall.

An injury also forced defensive tackle Thomas Holley to miss last season, and the Gators are deep at the position entering ’15, but he’ll eventually be an important part of Geoff Collins’ defense.

DB Quincy Wilson and WR C.J. Worton are two more players from this class that should emerge as important contributors, but right now are fighting through depth at their respective positions.

Overall, Florida didn’t get much out of its ’14 class by SEC standards. The group needs to play a little catch-up and may not blossom until 2016.

The class suffered a big loss when Gerald Willis III, the second-highest rated signee in Florida’s ’14 class and the No. 2 defensive tackle in the nation, transferred to Miami after shoving Jameis Winston and getting into trouble several times behind the scenes in Gainesville, including a fight with backup quarterback Skyler Mornhinweg.