Florida WR Kadarius Toney welcomes Percy Harvin comparisons
For many teams, there are special jersey numbers that not just anyone gets to wear. At Florida, Dan Mullen is looking to make that No. 1.
In 2018, no player wore No. 1 for the Gators. Mullen’s declaration that “you’ve got to be a baller to wear No. 1” made the rounds in online communities of Florida fans. This season, Mullen’s squad will have two No. 1s: CB CJ Henderson and WR Kadarius Toney. One of the most memorable Florida ballers to wear No. 1 on offense was Percy Harvin. During his memorable three seasons in Gainesville, Harvin was Florida’s most explosive runner out of the backfield and biggest weapon in the passing game. Florida fans and media members alike have come to refer to athletes who can be used both out of the backfield as ball-carriers and out wide as pass-catchers as playing “the Percy position.” Still, many realize that Harvin comparisons are simply unfair to players. Toney, however, welcomes the comparisons.
“A person like that, you can’t really complain about that,” Toney told Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun. “That’s a high-caliber person. The things that he did for the Gators and in the NFL, that was tremendous. To be in shoes like that, that’s big.”
Toney even took it a step further – a step that will have many shaking their heads.
“He’s an explosive player,” Toney said of Harvin. “I want to try and be more explosive. But I see the caliber, the type of player he was. That’s intriguing.”
Athletes are encouraged to set lofty goals, but those of us who watched Harvin play know that Toney will not be a more explosive player. Harvin had that rare ability to instantly hit top-end speed in one step. He turned routine handoffs into large gains with relative ease. When he caught the ball, he was always a threat to take it to the house. Toney is an explosive player, but he won’t be more explosive than Harvin.
But, it Toney can prove to be a playmaker as a ball-carrier out of the backfield and pass-catcher downfield, a la Harvin, the Gators will be in business on offense.