The Gators have a decent amount of depth at outside linebacker, but it’s Brenton Cox Jr. who leads the group heading into the 2022 season.
After going over the defensive linemen on the team in detail, it’s time to talk about Florida’s outside linebackers room heading into 2022.
These are the edge rushers of the team that are expected to cause havoc opposite of [autotag]Princely Umanmielen[/autotag] at the strongside defensive end spot. [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]. leads the group and is returning for his third year at Florida.
The Gators are only losing two players at the position, [autotag]Jeremiah Moon[/autotag] to graduation and [autotag]Khris Bogle[/autotag] to the transfer portal, and they added two freshmen in the most recent cycle. Florida still has plenty of depth on the edge, though. Cox should be good for 13 starts barring injury, and there’s a trio behind him that can do the job if he does need any rest.
Here’s a look at all eight outside linebackers/JACK/edge rushers on the 2022 Florida Gators football roster.
The Minnesota Vikings waived safety Brian Cole II and added linebacker David Reese II, the team announced Wednesday.
The Vikings waived safety Brian Cole II and added linebacker David Reese II, the team announced Wednesday.
Cole II played a position that Minnesota already has talent at, which can make it tougher to make the team.
Add in the fact that training camp is taking place amid the coronavirus pandemic, and it becomes even more difficult as there are less opportunities to impress the team than usual. Cole II was taken by the Vikings in the seventh round of this year’s NFL draft.
In his place is Reese II, a player who can possibly pan out as decent linebacker depth. Reese II, also a rookie, arrives to the team after getting signed, then released by the Carolina Panthers.
Vikings defensive assistant Dom Capers recently talked about how the Vikings “base out of a 4-3 but we have a lot of different looks and multiple sets.”
Those different looks and sets open up the opportunities for more linebackers to earn playing time. If Reese II surprises people by moving up the depth chart, then he could be the beneficiary of such scenarios.
Watch: College highlights for Panthers undrafted LB David Reese II
The Panthers signed 17 undrafted free agents this year and five of them were linebackers. Given the team’s lack of depth at the position, there’s a good chance a couple of them could wind up making the 53-man roster.
Perhaps the most promising among them is Florida’s David Reese II, who ranks second in SEC history in assisted tackles.
Let’s take a look at Reese’s tape from Florida to learn more about his game.
Check out Draft Wire’s exclusive interview with Florida linebacker prospect David Reese II
They say the best ability is availability, so that should make Florida linebacker David Reese II a sought-after prospect in the 2020 NFL Draft.
One of the SEC’s most reliable and productive linebacker prospects, Reese recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about his impressive career in Gainesville, the tough competition he faced within his conference, and why an NFL team should take a chance on him in this year’s draft.
JM: You played in 46 career games at Florida. You made 321 defensive stops throughout your time there. How do you reflect on your career?
DRII: What a journey it was. Wow, it went by so fast. It feels like it was just yesterday when my coaches offered me a scholarship to The University of Florida. I still remember the day Coach McElwain came to my house. The relationship I built with those coaches is the reason I came to Florida in the first place. I was very blessed and I don’t take a single moment for granted. From that day forward, I never looked back.
JM: The production also speaks to how durable you were throughout your time at Florida, right?
DRII: We have a great strength and conditioning program here at Florida. The medical staff is top-notch. They do a great job getting us right. I spent a lot of time in the training room taking care of my body. I always used my free time to spend extra time in the film room or the training room. It’s also an indication of how hard I worked throughout the off-season.
JM: What’s your favorite part about playing the linebacker position?
DRII: I love the physical aspect of it. The linebacker is really the quarterback of the defense. It’s on me to communicate with everybody and make sure that we’re all lined up correctly. We had a lot of great athletes at Florida and I had to make sure that we were all on the same page. As long as that continues to happen, Florida is gonna remain one of the top teams in the nation.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
JM: What can you tell me about the scheme and how you were used in that defense?
DRII: Our defense was fast, physical and aggressive. I was basically the guy in the middle. I take a lot of pride in being that field general. Like I said earlier, I really was the quarterback of our defense. I feel like I had a great career at Florida. I made a lot of tackles and I played in a lot of big games. I’m thankful for the opportunity. We played in the best conference in football.
JM: I thought you were one of the biggest combine snubs. You were very productive at a big-time program, and I feel like you deserved to be at the combine. Do you agree?
DRII: It just motivated me to go harder. Hopefully, I get my opportunity at the next level. I feel like my film and production speaks for itself. I’ve had a good career and I’ve played a lot of football. I’ve been healthy and responsible. I was a leader on our defense. I was definitely disappointed to not receive that combine invite. It’s okay, I’ll always get another opportunity to prove myself. My play will speak for itself. I had a great off-season training program. I’m in the best shape of my life right now.
JM: Which NFL teams have you been in contact with via FaceTime throughout this pre-draft process?
DRII: I’m keeping that information private at this time, but I’ve spoken with a few teams. I’ve spoken to teams both in the AFC and NFC. We’ve been in touch doing different phone interviews and what not. I can see myself fitting into any defense in the league. Hopefully, I’ll get that call on draft weekend. It doesn’t matter which team I play for, I’m gonna put my best foot forward and give it my all. They’re gonna get a hard worker that’s excited about coming to work.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
JM: Playing at Florida afforded you the opportunity to play against some of the best competition in the country. Who are some of the best players you’ve gone up against?
DRII: Even though he didn’t play in the SEC, Dalvin Cook immediately comes to mind. He was a problem for us. We played against him during my freshmen year. We played that game at Florida State. He’s definitely one of the toughest running backs I’ve ever played against. Alabama always has a great team. I believe they won the national championship during my freshmen year. That was a great team. They had guys like Minkah Fitzpatrick and Reuben Foster. It was great to see those guys in action.
LSU always have a great team. We played LSU every year. We went 2-2 against LSU throughout my time at Florida. I remember we won that first game and advanced to the SEC Championship. We made that stop on the one-yard line. That was an incredible, memorable game. They had Leonard Fournette that year. The year after that, they beat us at home. Devin White was a sophomore that year. They had D.J. Chark that year as well. They always have a great team. We had some intense battles with those guys.
JM: You’ve had so many great teammates throughout your time at Florida, but if you were going into battle tomorrow and could only bring one with you, who would you bring and why?
DRII: Shoot, that’s tough. I had so many great teammates. I’m gonna choose two. I would probably bring Vosean Joseph and Jachai Polite with me. Those are my two best friends. We lived together, we were actually roommates. We all played on the defense together. They’re both great athletes. That’s a tough question, but I would probably bring those two guys with me. We have a special bond. We see each other every day.
JM: Why should an NFL team use one of their draft picks on David Reese II?
DRII: A team should use one of their draft picks on me because they’re gonna get a guy that brings his hard hat to work every single day. I’m a smart guy that’s never gonna cause any problems for the organization. Most importantly, I’m a great football player at the end of the day. I’m excited to bring my leadership skills to the next level.
