Former Florida Standout O’Cyrus Torrence Shined As NFL Rookie

O’Cyrus Torrence is a 6-foot-5, 330-pound offensive lineman. He started his college career at the University of Louisiana, and then followed coach Billy Napier to Florida. He played at Florida for the 2022 season.

In 2023, Torrence was drafted by the Buffalo Bills with the 59th overall pick in the second round of the NFL draft.

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What Playing in the NFL Has Been Like

The level of play and expectation of professional athletes is very different than for college athletes. Torrence said he feels like the NFL season is almost the length of two college seasons, which he enjoys, but has also had to adjust to.

As soon as one game ends, the team immediately begins preparing for the next game. Torrence said he feels his methods of preparation and studying his opponents is a lot more detailed than in college.

While the NFL has been tough, he is enjoying this change and embracing the learning experience.

Torrence also spoke on the shift he experienced when playing and preparing for the playoffs after the regular season.

Teammates Helped Him Adjust

Torrence credits a lot of his success this past season to the veterans on the team that helped him. He also says there’s been no animosity between him and his teammates, even when he came in to take the starting spot.

Being one of the youngest on the field, he appreciates feeling that the older guys have his back. He knows that they want him to do well and continue to improve, which has helped him to be the best player he can be.

Finding a Sense of Belonging

Torrence says it took him awhile to adjust and feel like he belonged in the NFL.

Even after getting the starting spot, he said he wasn’t completely confident. It was hard for him to gage where he was at during practice because although it was full speed, it was still a controlled setting.

Torrence said he is happy to have now found this sense of belonging and is excited to keep giving his all. He knows to continue at this level, he needs to get better and better each day.