Antonio Callaway, WR, Florida

2016: Appeared in 12 games and started 11… Following his rushing touchdown against Georgia and a kickoff return touchdown against Missouri, Callaway became the first player in school history and 21st FBS player since 1996 to score a rushing, receiving, passing, punt return, and kickoff return touchdown in a career, and the list of the previous 20 players includes the likes of NFL stars Antonio Brown, Reggie Bush, Kevin Faulk, Ted Ginn Jr., T.Y. Hilton, Deuce McAllister, and C.J. Spiller… He became the seventh Gator since 1996 to score a receiving, rushing, and passing touchdown in a career… Of those seven, only Callaway and Jacquez Green also scored a punt return touchdown in their careers…. With seven receptions against Iowa in the Outback Bowl, he recorded 89 total catches during his first two seasons in Gainesville; only Jabar Gaffney (138) and Percy Harvin (93) caught more in their first two seasons at UF since 1996… After going over 1,000 receiving yards during Florida’s game at Tennessee, Callaway became the third-fastest player in program history to accomplish that milestone, doing so in just 17 games… In that game against UT, Callaway racked up 134 receiving yards on just four catches, making him one of eight players in the country and one of two SEC players in 2016 to amass 134-plus receiving yards against a Power Five opponent on four or fewer catches… In addition, the only other Gators to post 130-plus receiving yards on four or fewer catches since 1996 are Demarcus Robinson (2014 vs. Eastern Kentucky) and Andre Debose (2011 vs. Furman)… Became the fourth Gator since 2003 to log multiple games of 125-plus receiving yards in a season… Of the four, only Callaway and Dallas Baker (2006) had at least two such games against SEC opponents… Became the first Gator since 2009 with five-plus receptions and 70-plus yards in three straight games (2016 Citrus Bowl, first two games of 2016)… Notched his first-career kickoff return for a touchdown against Missouri with a 44-yard return…. With his two-punt return touchdowns in 2015 and his kickoff return in 2016, Debose (2011-14; 5), Brandon James (2006-09; 5) and Jacquez Green (1996-97; 4) are the only players with more than three kickoff/punt return touchdowns in program history… In addition, Green (1996-97; 4) is the only Gator with four return touchdowns in a two-year span where Callaway is tied with Debose and James with three during a two-year period… Named as a Third Team All-SEC wide receiver by Athlon Sports… 2015: Appeared in 14 games, starting 13… Named to CBS Sports First Team All-America as a punt returner… Named Freshman First Team All-America by the Sporting News and Pro Football Focus… SI.com Honorable Mention All-America… PFF First Team All-SEC… Gridiron Now Second Team All-SEC… Gridiron Now Freshman All-SEC… SEC Freshman of the Week (Tennessee) as he became the third true freshman in Gator history to record a 100-yard receiving… Hauled in five catches for a career-high 112 receiving yards against UT and caught the go-ahead 64-yard touchdown reception on fourth and 14 to give Florida the fourth-quarter comeback victory… Was the only FBS player with at least 345 punt return yards and 480 receiving yards in 2015… The third FBS player and only true freshman since 2008 to amass 435-plus punt return yards and 675-plus receiving yards in a season… Joined Oklahoma’s Ryan Broyles (2009) and Central Michigan’s Antonio Brown (2008) as the only underclassmen since 2008 with 400-plus punt return yards and 675-plus receiving yards in a season… Became the first true freshman in UF history and one of only six SEC true freshmen (Amari Cooper, Alshon Jeffery, Julio Jones, Christian Kirk, Calvin Ridley) since 2006 to post three 100-yard receiving games… His 678 receiving yards broke UF’s true freshman record previously held by Reidel Anthony (615 yards in 1994)… Returned two punts for touchdowns (LSU, Alabama)… Recorded a team-high 1,211 all-purpose yards on 69 plays averaged out to 17.6 yards per play, the fourth-highest mark in UF history and best ever by a Gator freshman (min. 60 plays).

PRIOR TO FLORIDA:
Named 2014 Class 4A All-State First Team…Helped Booker T. Washington to the 2014 Class 4A state title and a combined 15-0 record his senior season…Named to the 2014 All-Dade County First Team…Had 31 catches for 818 yards and 7 touchdowns in seven games as a senior…Played for Coach Tim Harris, Jr.

CAREER HIGHS:
Rushes: 1 (5x, last vs. FSU, 2016)
Rush Yards: 24 (FSU, 2016)
Long Rush: 24 (FSU, 2015)
Receptions: 8 (UMass, 2016)
Receiving Yards: 129 (Kentucky, 2016)
Long Catch: 78 (Kentucky, 2016)
Receiving TDs: 1 (6x, last vs. Alabama, 2016)
Punt Returns: 7 (Vanderbilt, 2015)
Punt Return Yards: 110 (Vanderbilt, 2015)
Punt Return TD: 1 (2x, last vs. Alabama, 2015)
Kick Returns: 1 (2x, last vs. Missouri, 2016)
Kick Return Yards: 44 (Missouri, 2016)
Kick Return TD: 1 (Missouri, 2016)

Callaway is a superb athlete. He is special with the football in his hands and very few in college football and take the pigskin to pay dirt, like Callaway.

He’ll make defenders look silly when he gives them a juke of jolt to the left or right. Once he clears the silly looking defender he pushes the throttle down and away he goes for six points.

He can contort his body to adjust to throws and catches the football smoothly when over his shoulder.

However, he will not play in the season opener against the Michigan Wolverines which will draw plenty of attention from NFL Scouts. So showing he can abide by teams orders and stay the course possibly be the biggest challenge for him this season.

Because Callaway will produce and make big plays, he just has to be on the field to do it.