We knew that Ricky Pearsall would once again wear the No. 1 jersey on offense for Florida, but defensive lineman [autotag]Princely Umanmielen[/autotag] will also wear the number, according to his Instagram story on Thursday.
Umanmielen wore the No. 33 last season, but he’s switching to the No. 1 which has historically held some significance within the program. There was plenty of commotion among the fans when wide receiver Jacob Copeland took on the number in 2021 and again when Ricky Pearsall requested it in 2022 after transferring.
While Billy Napier doesn’t view the jersey number as a reward, most players understand the history of it before requesting it. Umanmielen switching likely means he’s ready to step up as one of the faces of the defense.
He’s one of the top defenders in the program after making 11 starts at defensive end last season. After losing some snaps midseason, Umanmielen put things into gear and has emerged as a leader. He should play a significant role on the defensive line in 2023 for the Gators.
The 6-foot-5-inch, 254-pounder finished last season with 39 tackles (16 solo), 9.5 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
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