Florida starting wide receiver Trevon Grimes will skip Wednesday’s Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic to begin preparation for the 2021 NFL draft, he announced Monday.
Grimes ranks third on the team in receptions (38), receiving yards (589) and receiving touchdowns (9). He’s the second prominent Gators pass-catcher to opt out of the game against No. 6 Oklahoma, joining standout tight end Kyle Pitts, who was named to the AP All-America first team Monday..
The 6-foot-4, 218-pound Grimes began his career at Ohio State before transferring to Florida in December 2017. He wrote Monday on Twitter that playing in the NFL is a “lifelong dream” for him. Grimes appeared in 37 games for Florida, recording 97 career receptions for 1,444 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Gators quarterback Kyle Trask and leading wide receiver Kadarius Toney, who were both named to the AP All-America second team, still are expected to play Wednesday. The seventh-ranked Gators, who fell to top-ranked Alabama in the SEC championship game on Dec. 19, are aiming for their third consecutive New Year’s Six bowl victory under coach Dan Mullen.