These 4 Florida football players changed position for 2024
The upcoming college football season will be bringing many changes for the Florida Gators both on the field and off. Following their third-straight losing season, there are plenty of adjustments that need to be made.
Among those are four members of the team’s 2024 roster who will be taking on new roles in the new year. In fact, it is not uncommon for a member of the Florida football roster to shift spots ahead of an upcoming season.
Below is a look at four student-athletes who have made a switch on the field in hopes of boosting their stock among their gridiron peers, as well as improving the program as a whole.
Kelby Collins: EDGE to Defensive Lineman
Collins, who earned Freshman All-SEC honors last fall as an edge defender, will move to the defensive end spot alongside redshirt junior Caleb Banks and transfer portal addition, senior Joey Slackman.
New position coach Gerald Chatman has to replace Gavin Hill (listed below), who moved to the offensive side of the ball this offseason, and will be responsible for Collins in hopes that he can provide much-needed depth at the position.
Aaron Gates: Cornerback to Strong Safety
The redshirt freshman cornerback will be making a minor change on the field in 2024, moving from the outside of the defensive backfield to the interior at strong safety. He only played in four games last fall on special teams, resulting in his redshirt.
Gates debuted at South Carolina on Oct. 14, stopping a two-point conversion and intercepting a lateral on the game’s final play to secure the victory.
Ja’Markis Weston: Wide Receiver to EDGE
The redshirt senior is making a massive transition from an offensive skills position to the grueling grind of the defensive front line. In his five years in Gainesville, the Clewiston, Florida, product simply has not caught on with the wide receivers corps — spending a majority of the time on special teams — and his brief stint in the defensive secondary was underwhelming.
His career numbers as a pass-catcher stretches over 39 games played, in which he six passes for 81 yards and a touchdown. He also amassed some stats as a kick/punt returner and seven tackles (six solo, one assisted) on defense.
Gavin Hill: EDGE to Tight End
According to Swamp247, Hill has already started working out with the tight end corps, which includes fellow scholarship players senior Keon Zipperer, sophomores Arlis Boardingham, Hayden Hansen and Tony Livingston, and true freshman Amir Jackson.
The change is not a drastic one for the Gainesville local, who was a two-way player for the Bobcats, though he spent the majority of his time at defensive end during his tenure; he did log 10 catches for 84 yards and two touchdowns in seven varsity games as a freshman.
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