Florida’s defensive line will be another unit that relies heavily on transfer talent this season.

Both starting tackles — Cam Jackson and Caleb Banks — are in their first year with the program, meaning two new faces on the interior, and there’s a considerable amount of depth behind them. Nearly every Gators fan is rooting for big Desmond Watson to get on the field, and the first and second-year players that were recruited by Napier are, of course, the future of the program.

There tends to be a lot of shifting and rotating in the trenches, so it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it means to start, but we’ve identified the top players in the position room and created a rough depth chart to work off as the season begins.

Here’s a look at every defensive tackle on Florida’s 2023 fall roster.

Starting Nose Tackle: No. 99 Cam Jackson (Jr.)

Defensive Stats:

Cam Jackson spent his first three years of college ball at Memphis, racking up 51 tackles and 2.5 sacks. He only spent one season as a consistent contributor, but his 371-pound frame had Billy Napier ready to bring him over to the SEC.

Jackson will start the year as Florida’s primary nose tackle and should play the most snaps of any of the listed defensive linemen on the roster. He’ll have to prove himself to keep his spot, but the expectation is a breakout year from the Louisiana native.

Starting Defensive Tackle (3-point): No. 88 Caleb Banks (R-Fr.)

Defensive Stats:

Caleb Banks came in from Louisville over the offseason and has a real chance to start immediately in the SEC. He only played in six games last year, recording two tackles and a sack, but the former three-star prospect showed great promise in the spring game all the way through fall.

Banks could still find his way onto the field when Florida doesn’t run two tackles out there, too. He’s taking reps off the edge to fill in for any outside linebacker/defensive end types that need it.

Don’t let Banks’ inexperience fool you. He’s primed for a big season in the Swamp.

Backup Nose Tackle: No. 21 Desmond Watson (Jr.)

Defensive Stats:

Big Desmond Watson is certainly the most well-known defensive lineman on the roster among Gators fans. His more-than-400-pound frame has helped skyrocket his popularity, but this could be the year Watson finally makes an impact for the Gators.

After playing five games as a true freshman, Watson stepped into the starting tackle role relatively early into the 2022 season, but he’s the incoming transfers have moved him back a bit on the depth chart. He’d see action in all 13 games and record 1.5 tackles for a loss.

If Banks or Jackson get hurt or struggle, it will be Watson who plants himself in the middle of the line for Florida. Alternatively, if Banks ends up playing the edge, Watson could be the second tackle in that set.

Backup Defensive Tackle: No. 7 Chris McClellan (So.)

Defensive Stats:

Chris McClellan had a strong true freshman season, playing in all 13 games for the Gators and collecting 23 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, and 1.5 sacks. The transfers that came in may make it harder for him to break into the starting role he seemed ready for, but there’s no doubt that he continues to improve by the day.

McClellan will be on the field often and should push the starters to play at an elite level. If they don’t, the sophomore could be taking their place with haste. Having depth in the trenches is always a good thing, and McClellan will get his time to shine eventually. Until then, expect him to be a strong piece of Florida’s rotation up front on defense.

Third-string Nose Tackle: No. 95 Jamari Lyons (R-Fr.)

Defensive Stats:

Jamari Lyons didn’t see the field too much as a true freshman, but that’s expected in the SEC. A former four-star recruit out of high school, Lyons should take another step forward as he competes for playing time with the other inexperienced lineman. The rest of the players listed above are likely ahead of him on the depth chart for either tackle position, but he’s certainly in the mix.

Third-string Defensive Tackle: No. 9 Will Norman (Fr.)

There isn’t quite the need for freshmen defensive linemen in Gainesville as there was last year, but Will Norman looks like the first-year player in the position room that’s most likely to see significant snaps.

A consensus four-star recruit, Norman has impressed with his technique since arriving on campus. Coaches have likened him to a piece of moldable clay and believe he could get playing time if an injury comes up.

Reserve: No. 66 Jaelin Humphries (R-Jr.) and No. 96 Gavin Hill (Fr.)

Jaelin Humphries is entering his final year of eligibility but has only appeared in six games for the Gators since 2019. He saw the most action of his career last year, playing in four games, but Napier will most likely use him as a deep reserve this season.

Gavin Hill, on the other hand, is entering his first collegiate season and is looking for any opportunity to play. A consensus four-star recruit out of high school, Hill will get his chance, but it might come further down the line in his college career.

Walk-Ons: No. 93 Kennan Landry (R-So.), No. 61 Nicolas Flynn (R-Fr.), No. 91 Tyreik Norwood (R-Sr.), No. 90 Connor Homa (Fr.), No. 92 Sebastian Scott (Fr.) and No. 97 Andrew Morris (Fr.)

Keenan Landry is a preferred walk-on who joined the Gators last year and made one appearance (Eastern Washington) before redshirting. He played nine games for Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College before transferring and has the brightest future in the group.

Nicolas Flynn joined the program a year ago as a walk-on during the summer. He didn’t see any action and redshirted.

Tyreik Norwood played three years of Division II ball for Kentucky Wesleyan before walking onto the Florida football team last fall. He made 18 appearances and collected 40 tackles before switching schools.

Connor Homa, a Palm Harbor University graduate, joined the team as a walk-on in the spring.

Sebastian Scott is a true freshman preferred walk-on who played his prep ball in South Florida for Cardinal Newman in West Palm Beach.

Andre Morris joined the Gators as a preferred walk-on over the summer.

Read more

Check out the rest of our position previews:

• Quarterbacks

• Running backs

• Wide receivers

• Tight ends

• Offensive Tackles

• Offensive Guards/Centers

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Story originally appeared on Gators Wire