45 Days to Gator Football: Ricky Nattiel

Ricky "the Rocket" Nattiel played wide receiver for Charley Pell and Galen Hall's Florida Gators from 1983 to 1986. The Rocket, a former high school quarterback and track star, was actually recruited as a defensive back, quarterback, and wide receiver. When senior wide receiver Dwayne Dixon was injured, Ricky was pressed into action. The Rocket was a favorite target of Kerwin Bell in 1984 and 1985, as the Gators posted identical 9-1-1, 5-0-1 records. He earned his nickname against Georgia in 1984 when he ran 96 yards on a TD pass from Bell, sealing the 27-0 win and earning him a place in the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame years later. In 1986, Ricky was named a team captain in addition to being named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll, the first team SEC team, second team All American, and Fergie Ferguson Award winner. Ricky finished with 118 receptions, 2096 yards, 18 touchdowns in addition to 615 punt return yards and 375 kick return yards. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in public health in 1987 and was drafted by the Denver Broncos with the 27th overall pick. His six-year NFL career included two Super Bowls.

Until recently, Florida was very good at finding kids that would step up as freshmen or as walk-ons and rise to the occasion. That has been the key to Florida's success. Anyone can recruit a 5-star kid out of high school and make him a star in his sophomore and junior years, but what about turning a kid without Rivals star rating into a success in his freshman year when a junior 5-star gets injured, and then keeping that kid all four years rather than losing him to the NFL draft his junior year?