By: Dan

One of the most prevalent questions surrounding the Florida football team this spring is how the Gators intend to replace Percy Harvin.
The do-everything wide receiver is trying his hand in the NFL Draft, and his departure leaves a sizable hole on the offensive side of the ball.

From the moment Harvin stepped on Florida Field, he made an impact. All he needed was a sliver of space and he could go the distance.
Among the names mentioned when fans and media folks speculate on who will fill the “Percy position” are Deonte Thompson and Andre Debose. Thompson showed flashes of being an electric playmaker last year but wasn’t a focal point of UF’s attack (18 receptions and three touchdowns in 14 games). Everyone has been raving about Debose’s potential, but we won’t really know what he brings to the table until he faces some top-flight competition.

Honestly, I don’t think Florida will find a player like Percy Harvin on this year’s roster. And frankly, I don’t think it’s fair to expect a player to be the next Percy Harvin. Urban Meyer and the rest of the offensive brain trust will have to find a solution to Harvin’s absence.
That’s not to say that Florida’s offense will not be explosive next year. It begins and ends with the triggerman, Tim Tebow. As long as he’s in place, the offense will be in good shape. While the Gators are losing their top two receivers in Harvin and Louis Murphy, they still return a number of talented pass catchers, including Thompson, Aaron Hernandez, Riley Cooper, Carl Moore and David Nelson. That’s not even to mention wide receivers who haven’t even seen the field yet, like Frankie Hammond, Omarius Hines and T.J. Lawrence.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the team used Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps more in the passing game in 2009. Demps caught 15 passes last year, while Rainey had just three. But their ability to go the distance at any moment makes them too valuable to not utilize them in the passing game. I remember watching last year’s Orange and Blue game when Rainey ran a wheel route, adjusted nicely on the ball and took it to the house. I knew right then he was a special talent.

What made Harvin so special was his combination of strength and speed. He was strong enough to run the ball in between the tackles but fast enough to get out on the edge and break a long run. And that’s not even taking into account his great route running and tremendous pass catching ability.

Even though Florida might not have another Harvin waiting in the wings, I don’t think that there’s any reason for Gator fans to panic about the corps of wide receivers. I remember being a freshman at UF in 2000 and reading an article about a lack of depth and experience at wide receiver. The two most experienced guys were Alex Willis and Brian Haughbrook. The article said that some unproven receivers would have to step up. In that group of inexperienced wide receivers were Jabar Gaffney and Reche Caldwell. Until Florida hires someone like Georgia Tech Head Coach Paul Johnson as their head man, the Gators will never have to worry about wide receivers.