#45 Carlos “the Cuban Comet” Alvarez of Miami, Florida by way of Havana, Cuba, played wide receiver for Ray Graves and Doug Dickey's Florida Gators from 1969 to 1971. Carlos’ father moved the family from Cuba to Miami to escape the Castro revolution of 1960. Nine years later, Carlos joined his older brothers at the University of Florida to play wide receiver for the Gators. Carlos was a key member of the “Super Sophs” that led the Gators to its then-best 9-1-1 season while earning first team All-SEC, first-team Academic All-American, and Consensus All-American honors. The Cuban Comet also made a pivotal, 9-yard touchdown reception that sealed the 14-13 upset win over Tennessee in the Gator Bowl. He was the top offensive weapon in the 1970 and 1971 seasons as well, as he garnered Academic All-American honors and shattered the receiving records.
Carlos was selected in the 15th round of the 1972 NFL Draft, but he elected to return to school and complete his bachelor's degree in political science and use his NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship Award to attend Duke University. He graduated summa cum laude in 1975 and earned his juris doctor and became a law professor in Dallas, Texas before returning to his home state of Florida to join the family tradition of practicing law in the Sunshine State.
To this day, he is still the leading Gator receiver in terms of receptions in a game with 15, and receptions in a season with 88. The Cuban Comet still remains the Gators’ all-time career leader in receiving yards (2,563), is 2nd in receiving yards in a single season (1,329 yards in 1969), and is 2nd in single game receptions (237 against Miami in 1969). Carlos has numerous receiving records that stood for nearly 30 years until broken by the likes of Jabar Gaffney and Andre Caldwell. He was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 1986 and College Football Hall of Fame in 2011. He is also a member of the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame, the Florida Gators All-Century Team (#7), and the Academic All-American Hall of Fame.
Carlos was selected in the 15th round of the 1972 NFL Draft, but he elected to return to school and complete his bachelor's degree in political science and use his NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship Award to attend Duke University. He graduated summa cum laude in 1975 and earned his juris doctor and became a law professor in Dallas, Texas before returning to his home state of Florida to join the family tradition of practicing law in the Sunshine State.
To this day, he is still the leading Gator receiver in terms of receptions in a game with 15, and receptions in a season with 88. The Cuban Comet still remains the Gators’ all-time career leader in receiving yards (2,563), is 2nd in receiving yards in a single season (1,329 yards in 1969), and is 2nd in single game receptions (237 against Miami in 1969). Carlos has numerous receiving records that stood for nearly 30 years until broken by the likes of Jabar Gaffney and Andre Caldwell. He was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 1986 and College Football Hall of Fame in 2011. He is also a member of the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame, the Florida Gators All-Century Team (#7), and the Academic All-American Hall of Fame.
