2023 Florida Football Position Preview: EDGE/JACK
Florida’s edge rushing corps is filled with position converts and true freshmen, but it might very well be one of the deepest position rooms on the roster heading into 2023.
Despite a season-ending injury to a major contributor, the Gators still have a loaded room of edge rushers ready to go. Defensive lineman turned JACK Princely Umanmielen has the most experience among the group. He’s emerged as a team leader and should help guide the front seven during games.
Tyreak Sapp is another lineman turned edge rusher who could start, and a trio of true freshmen appear to be game-ready.
Here’s a look at every edge rusher on Florida’s 2023 fall roster.
Starting JACK: No. 1 Princely Umanmielen (Jr.*)
Defensive Stats:
Year | GP | SOLO | AST | TOT | TFL | SACKS | INT | FF | FR |
2020 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2021 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
2022 | 13 | 16 | 23 | 39 | 9.5 | 4.5 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Total | 33 | 26 | 34 | 60 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Princely Umanmielen switched to the No. 1 jersey this offseason for a reason. He’s going to be one of the team leaders this season, and he’s primed to break out as a fourth-year junior.
Rated the best defender on the roster last season by Pro Football Focus, Umanimeilen is no longer listed as a defensive lineman and will play the role of top-returning edge rusher for Florida this season.
The JACK linebacker is asked to rush the passer and drop back in coverage. Umanmielen has shown that he can pressure the quarterback off the edge, but he’ll have to be more of a linebacker this season in, especially on third down.
Florida’s coaching staff expects Umanmielen to set the tone for the front seven this year. As he goes, so should the defense.
Injured: No. 12 Justus Boone (R-So.*)
Defensive Stats:
Year | GP | SOLO | AST | TOT | TFL | SACKS | INT | FF | FR |
2021 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2022 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 15 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
After appearing in all 13 games last season for Florida, edge rusher Justus Boone will miss his redshirt sophomore injury after tearing his ACL during a fall scrimmage. He was competing for a starting spot and was the presumed primary backup to Umanmielen.
Losing Boone is a significant blow to Florida’s defense. He was ranked fourth among UF defenders by PFF last season and showed promise in coverage. The door for other talented players to get snaps in on the defensive line is now open, but at what cost?
Starting EDGE: No. 94 Tyreak Sapp (R-So.)
Defensive Stats:
Year | GP | SOLO | AST | TOT | TFL | SACKS | INT | FF | FR |
2022 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Tyreak Sapp played just over 300 snaps for the Gators last season as a defensive lineman, but now he’s moving over to the edge to fill Boone’s spot on the depth chart.
Pro Football Focus says he was a better run defender than pass rusher last year, but he’s bulked up to beat SEC tackles and is hoping to improve now that he’s switched positions. Sapp was the fifth-highest-ranked defender (min. 100 snaps) for Florida last season.
With Boone out, Sapp’s snap count should increase. He’ll be a major contributor for the defense this season, especially in speed rush packages.
Backup: No. 44 Jack Pyburn (So.)
Defensive Stats:
Year | GP | SOLO | AST | TOT | TFL | SACKS | INT | FF | FR |
2022 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Jack Pyburn played 43 snaps for the Gators last season and finished with a defensive grade of 45.8, according to PFF. While those numbers aren’t the most encouraging, Pyburn has been a popular name over the fall after a physical transformation that’s helped him stand out.
With Boone injured, Pyburn could very well be the top backup to both Umanmielen and Sapp heading into Week 1. Recording three sacks in a fall scrimmage is one thing, but Pyburn could easily secure a permanent spot in the rotation if he carries that success over into the early parts of the regular season.
Freshmen: No. 19 T.J. Searcy (Fr.), No. 11 Kelby Collins (Fr.) and No. 24 Kamran James (Fr.)
All three freshman edge rushers on Florida’s roster have a chance to contribute in 2023. T.J. Searcy is more likely to fit into the JACK role for the Gators, while both Kelby Collins and Kamran James are competing for time behind Sapp on the edge of the line.
Florida’s defensive line class was lauded as one of the strongest in the 2023 cycle, and bringing in four game-ready freshmen (Will Norman) backs that claim up. Now, they have to prove it on the field against some of the best in the world.
Reserves/Walk-Ons: No. 48 Quincy Ivory (So.), No. 36 Bryce Capers (R-Fr.) and No. 45 Layne Swafford (Fr.)
Quincy Ivory joined the Gators over the summer as a JUCO transfer. He played 10 games on defense for East Los Angeles Community College last year and spent two games at quarterback for Mississippi Valley State in 2021. Because he’s a late addition to a team that’s mostly been together since the start of the year, Ivory may not find much playing time as a sophomore.
Bryce Capers walked on to the team last season and appeared in three games, including the Las Vegas Bowl.
Layne Swafford joined the team as a preferred walk-on over the summer. He played his high school ball at Ponte Vedra.
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Check out the rest of our position previews:
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