Heze Kent officially began his college football career at the University of Florida when the Gators got spring practice underway on Tuesday morning. Their true freshman tight end made the other players at his position look like middle schoolers.
He is an absolute UNIT!
Although his exact future in college football remains uncertain, Florida wants him to be a legitimate pass-catcher. Kent is way too athletic not to give him a shot!
Who is Heze Kent?
A native of Brunswick, Georgia, Kent was rated as a four-star prospect in the recruiting Class of 2026. He ranked as one of the top 400 players in the country and one of the top 20 players at the ‘athlete’ position.
But what is his real position? That’s a great question!
Heze Kent played tight end throughout his entire high school career and even got some touches at running back. He caught 41 passes for 983 yards (24 yards per catch) and eight touchdowns with 31 carries for 211 yards and eight touchdowns out of the backfield as a senior. His highlight tape is an incredible watch. You literally can’t miss him.
Not only is Kent a freak athlete on the gridiron, he also averaged a double-double on the hardwood with a whopping 17.7 points and 14.4 rebounds per game. That was just his side hustle!
Although Kent likely could’ve played Division I basketball, his future was in football. The Peach State-native received 38 offers from schools like Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Ole Miss, USC, Notre Dame, LSU, and Indiana but Florida State, Texas, Miami and Florida were his top suitors. The Gators ultimately received his signature during the early signing period. He got to campus for the spring semester in January.
How big is Florida’s true freshman tight end?
I was not being facetious when I asked about Heze Kent’s position. Most people expected him to transition to offensive or defensive tackle when he got to college.
A position change might feel inevitable but Florida wants to give him a chance at tight end.
“A lot of guys can see him as a project tackle, or this or that. Like, the guy’s here to go play tight end, that’s what I tell him, and he can definitely do it,” said tight ends coach Evan McKissack. “Man, tremendous hands, can run, you know, a great – I don’t even like to call it project – like he’s a great football player, he’s got it in him…he’s been working hard and his weight’s going down, really excited about some of the terms he’s making.”
He might be the next Darnell Washington! They are not too dissimilar when it comes to their size.
Washington plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers at 6-foot-7, 311 pounds. Kent is listed at 6-foot-6, 313.
Of course, there is a big difference in terms of age. Washington is a 24-year-old professional. Kent is an 18-year-old true freshman who, technically speaking, should be a second-semester senior in high school.
His monstrous size was on full display on the first day of spring practice.
#Gators TE Heze Kent (throw from Aaron Philo) pic.twitter.com/NtRYlFVo0K
— Cam Parker (@camparker25) March 3, 2026
Here’s a closer look:
313 pound true freshman tight end Heze Kent in his first practice in Gainesville.
— Dylan Olive (@DylanOlive_UF) March 3, 2026
Absolute unit. #Gators pic.twitter.com/GAYzwC6lYr
It will be interesting to see how long Kent lasts with the tight ends group. The Gators want him to stick but he needs to keep his weight under control.
“I think the biggest thing, so we like to say, ‘Okay, let’s get below 300, let’s get to 295, let’s get to 290.’ I think those things right there, implementing those challenges, even all throughout the course of the season, just makes the player grow,” McKissick said. “And he’s answered those challenges, and the key is consistency, though, like, that’s always the biggest thing… It’s just about his ability to freaking go face each challenge each day.”
Should Florida find a way to make this work, Kent is a weapon. Imagine him in goal line situations!