Tag: Dijon Johnson

Five key factors in Florida football’s dominant victory over LSU

Offense, defense and special teams helped the Gators come up with a much-needed victory at home against the LSU Tigers.

Florida football (5-5, 3-4 SEC) defeated the No. 21 LSU Tigers (6 – 4, 3-3 SEC) by a score of 27-16.

Quarterback DJ Lagway started for the Gators after missing last week’s game due to a left hamstring injury and threw for 226 yards and a touchdown in his return. Freshman running back Jadan Baugh exploded for a 55-yard touchdown run with five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to ultimately seal the game.

With help from the defense to seal the game, despite their shakiness on third down stops, the Gators came up with a huge win to keep their bowl-eligibility hopes alive. Florida just needs a win against either Ole Miss next week or the Florida State Seminoles to make a bowl game this season.

Here are five key factors from today’s game.

Defense starts with a bang

Florida’s defense started out the game strong. On LSU’s opening drive, the Tigers moved the ball toward midfield and were faced with a 4th-and-1 situation.

LSU decided to go for it and ran a play toward the outside that was immediately shut down by Dijon Johnson which made the Swamp deafening.

Unfortunately for the Gators’ offense, they were forced to punt because they committed two consecutive penalties to start out their drive. So the great field position went to waste.

Gators bite first

Florida started their second offensive drive on their own 20-yard line and Lagway got away with an almost sure interception on his first attempt. The ball hit the LSU defender right in the hands but he couldn’t make the catch.

A couple of plays later, Lagway completed a 34-yard pass to receiver Chimere Dike that put the Gators at midfield. Then, running back Ja’Kobi Jackson had a big run for 20 yards that placed Florida right outside the red zone.

To cap off the drive, Lagway threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to receiver Elijhah Badger who was in one-on-one coverage that gave the Gators an early 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

Defensive woes on third downs

Florida had a tough time defending the Tigers on their third down attempts.

Over the course of the game, LSU was 13-for-24 on third downs and converted four of them on their fourth possession alone which resulted in a 14-play, 84-yard drive that ended in a game-tying touchdown in the second quarter.

The third-down defensive struggles allowed the Tigers to construct lengthy drives which also allowed them to dominate the time of possession. LSU had the ball for 41:43 compared to Florida’s time of possession of 18:17.

LSU was 8-for-12 on third downs in the first half and it wasn’t like the majority of them were short distances either. A lot of these conversions were on 3rd-and-long situations. But luckily toward the end of the game, Florida’s defense was able to dial in when it mattered most and slowed down those third-down conversions.

Plenty of sacks to go around

The Gators’ defense was all over Garrett Nussmeier throughout the game, especially in the second half.

Florida had a total of seven sacks and it wasn’t just from a couple of players. The sacks were spread out among multiple Gators defenders.

Linebacker Shemar James had two while defensive tackle Caleb Banks, EDGE T.J. Searcy, EDGE George Gumbs Jr. and EDGE Kamran James each came up with a sack.

It was certainly refreshing to see the Gators pass rush being as effective as they were today and it’ll be interesting to see if they can carry it over next week against a high-powered Ole Miss offense.

Special Teams delivered for the Gators

Florida’s offense struggled to find ways to get in the end zone today, but thanks to their fantastic play from junior kicker Trey Smack who kicked 2-for-2 that included a career-long field goal of 55 yards.

And let’s not forget about senior punter Jeremy Crawshaw who had all four of his punts inside the 20-yard line. In a game where field position was critical, the Gators special teams unit played a big part in their victory today.

Up next for the Gators

The Gators play their final home game of the season against the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday, Nov. 23. Kickoff is set for noon ET and will be broadcast on ABC.

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Gators DB calls for ‘all hands on deck’ approach in wake of defensive injuries

Florida’s defense has impressed over the past month. Gators defensive back Trikweze Bridges spoke to the media about the many changes made over the past five weeks.

Florida defensive back [autotag]Trikweze Bridges[/autotag]’ versatility has been on full display over the past few weeks, and with several injuries hitting the secondary this week he was asked to step into a new role.

During a second-half drive that saw three Florida defensive backs come up slow with injuries, Bridges moved from safety to cornerback.

“When I seen [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag], when he was coming off the sideline, I knew then that’s when I was going to have to step up,” Bridges said. “We already had talked about it at the beginning of the season and just like this week if anything would happen. I’m the emergency corner.”

Bridges made his first start for Florida against Tennessee three weeks ago, replacing [autotag]DJ Douglas[/autotag] as the starting safety opposite of [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag]. He hasn’t spent much time practicing as a corner, but he’s told coaches all season that he can play wherever they need him in the secondary. The plan is to focus a bit more on corner in the following week.

“I wanted to focus on the things to do at safety (in practice),” he said. “Being a safety, you know what everybody’s doing … there have been times where I go to corner and do some drills with them to keep my technique clean and stuff like that. So, I’ll be doing a lot of that this week coming up to be ready to play safety and corner and just be ready where they need me.”

For Bridges, being asked to move positions is a sign of trust from the coaching staff and something he feels could help come draft time.

“If they need me at corner, that is where I’ll be playing,” he said. “I’m glad that the coaches are able to trust me to be able to play that position and be here to contribute and help the team out. I always told them I can play corner, I can play safety, wherever you can put me. That’s good for me. You know what I’m saying? Being able to show my versatility off and I’ll be ready to do that.”

The defense is coming together

Florida forced Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, a player that has been mentioned as a potential first-round pick, to throw three interceptions in the first half on Saturday.

“I feel like in the first half we did what we were supposed to do,” Bridges said. “We went out there and executed, and we had a lot of turnovers. We just kept going at it, kept going at it, and I think that Georgia was not prepared or ready for us to do that. But at the end of the day, that’s our mentality every week, week in and week out. We just got to go out and dominate.”

Things got a bit more difficult once DJ Lagway went down, but the defense put pressure on itself to help out third-string quarterback Aidan Warner.

“We had to just turn it up and run a notch and just keep executing because we have to give him the opportunity to warm up and get in his mode and his game and just be ready to play. I was on the sidelines saying let’s go on defense as well. So, our mindset was just let’s turn it up a notch and keep going.”

Should Lagway miss more games moving forward, Bridges knows the defense will have to stick to the game plan and execute things perfectly to take the pressure off Warner.

“It’s going to take a lot of communication as a group, and it’s going to take a lot of film, doing a lot of things together and really just get those guys in the mindset to be ready to play and be ready for your name to be called. No matter what situation we’re in, everybody has to be ready. All hands on deck.”

There’s a newfound confidence among the defense following four straight games of success. Bridges’ move into the starting lineup matches up with the efficiency adjustment, so it’s safe to say he’s one of the leaders of that unit.

“We always we always felt like (we could compete with any team). We just had to clean things up at the beginning of the season. We just kept going, kept going and believed in ourselves and blocked the outside noise and whatnot. All we’re doing is just keep going every day. Every week, we try to show up and show out. Because we know what we can do and we wasn’t surprised what we did today. That’s something that we want to put out for you guys to see, and that’s what we will continue to do.”

Depth players such as Cormani McClain have also stepped up in the wake of injuries. Bridges is taking it upon himself to encourage McClain moving forward, knowing the difference a bit of confidence can make.

“I was excited to see him make a lot of plays today. A few good tackles. I was pumped up for him. Pretty good in coverage, and when I see him again, I’m just going to talk to him and say keep going, keep doing your thing and keep that confidence up. Because when you have confidence like that, you can’t be stopped.”

Still, one or two players don’t make all the difference. Getting all 11 players on the same page is paramount if Florida is going to keep up this high level of play.

“We still have to show up as a team, and that’s is the main goal. We trust in everybody on the team. We trust in Aidan. So, as a defense, it’s our job to get him harder looks (in practice), give him a lot of pressure and stuff so he can be ready for next week.”

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Five key factors behind Florida football’s loss against Georgia

Here are the five key factors in Florida’s injury-filled loss in Jacksonville against Georgia in Week 10.

Florida football suffered a devastating loss to the Georgia Bulldogs, losing by a score of 34-20 and handing their rivals a fourth-straight victory over the Gators.

Injuries were the name of the game on Florida’s side of the ball, as quarterback DJ Lagway suffered a left hamstring injury in the second quarter that Billy Napier labeled as “pretty significant”.

The Gators also suffered a multitude of injuries in their secondary, but despite all of this, the defense was able to hold their ground.

Although it might seem like a tough loss for Florida, this team is not the same team that was shown in Week 1. The Gators have absolutely no quit.

The Gators are talented but unfortunately, there were just too many obstacles that they had to overcome in this game.

Here are five key factors from today’s game on Florida’s end.

Bend but don’t break

On their second possession of the game, Georgia started on their own 12-yard line. The Bulldogs were marching down the field comfortably and made it all the way to the Florida’s 5-yard line.

It looked like a sure-fire touchdown for Georgia but the Gators held their ground and didn’t give up on the drive. Great coverage in the secondary contributed to the Bulldogs failing to get in to the end zone.

Georgia was forced to kick a 23-yard field goal and take an early 3-0 lead, but the Florida defense held their ground to start things off in the game.

Gators score first touchdown

Florida was the first team to get the ball in the end zone thanks to a pinpoint pass by Lagway to catch receiver Aidan Mizell in stride for a 43-yard touchdown.

Mizell was able to run by Georgia’s secondary and get in the end zone with ease.

It all started thanks to an interception by Devin Moore to get the Gators started at midfield.

Florida took a 7-3 lead with 13:42 to go in the second quarter.

Florida wins the turnover battle

Florida’s secondary was able to deceive Georgia quarterback Carson Beck and force him to make inaccurate throws and multiple interceptions.

Moore was able to intercept Beck in the beginning of the second quarter that led to a Gators touchdown score.

Then on the next Georgia offensive drive, Aaron Gates came up with an interception that led to a 32-yard Florida field goal that extended the lead to 10-3.

Jack Pyburn was able to haul in Beck’s third interception of the game in the third quarter.

Lagway carted off in the second quarter

Florida was playing well on both sides of the ball but all of a sudden, you can feel the momentum shift in favor of the Bulldogs after a brutal loss at quarterback for the Gators.

Lagway appeared to have injured his left hamstring with five minutes to go in the first half. He was moving around in the pocket and took an awkward fall, grabbing onto his hamstring on the way down.

The freshman was on the ground but couldn’t get up, prompting medical personnel to bring the cart onto the field. The team surrounded Lagway as he got lifted onto the back of the cart and was driven straight into the locker room.

Redshirt freshman Aidan Warner took over at quarterback for the Gators.

Gators get hit hard with the injury bug

Lagway is the headline for a multitude of injuries that Florida dealt with in the game.

Heading into halftime, Moore was helped off the field after what appeared to be a lower leg injury. Moore, who had an interception against Beck in the first half, was playing a great game. The defensive back did not return to the game and was seen on crutches.

Midway through the third quarter, the Gators endured a nightmare of a drive, as three of their defensive backs got hurt. Jordan Castell, Dijon Johnson and Sharif Denson had to get helped off the sideline due to injuries. Castell was able to return on the same drive but it’s just been an extremely unlucky season for Florida in terms of injuries.

What’s next for the Gators?

Florida will go on the road and face the Texas Longhorns in Austin, Texas on Saturday, Nov. 9. Kickoff is set for noon ET and will be broadcast on ABC.

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Florida loses top CB Jason Marshall Jr. for rest of season

The Gators’ defense will take the field without Jason Marshall Jr. for the first time since 2020 following a season-ending injury.

Florida will play the final five games of the 2024 regular season without its top cornerback, senior [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]., according to a report from the Orlando Sentinel.

Marshall went down with a shoulder injury after making a tackle in Florida’s Week 8 win over Kentucky. After going to the locker room for an evaluation, Marshall returned to the sideline with his arm in a sling. Florida’s defense fared well without Marshall against a struggling Wildcats offense, notching three interceptions throughout the game.

Moving forward, junior [autotag]Devin Moore[/autotag] will act as Florida’s top corner, but the Gators will need one of their young defensive backs to step up in the wake of Marshall’s injury. Sophomore [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] also remains sidelined after suffering an injury in Week 2.

Sophomores [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Cormani McClain[/autotag] are the favorites to take over Florida’s second cornerback spot in the starting lineup. Johnson is the more experienced of the two and has played in every game for Florida this year; however, McClain is coming off a breakout performance against Kentucky where he returned an interception for a touchdown.

“Skill players always are a little insecure, and then when they get game experience, they have some production, and it’s like, ‘OK, I know what it’s like out there,’” Napier said of McClain on Wednesday. “He’s still learning the defense. But overall he’s got a smile on his face. I see him connecting with teammates. He’s growing up. He’s still very much a work in progress.”

Behind those two are a pair of true freshmen —Teddy Foster and Jameer Grimsley. Foster has played in four games this season and could still redshirt should he stay on the bench for the rest of the year, while Grimsley has yet to see the field.

Those numbers might point toward Grimsley getting the nod over Foster in an emergency situation.

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Florida Football 2024 Position Preview: Cornerbacks

If Florida can stay healthy at cornerback, the position room has a chance to be at its best since Billy Napier took over the program.

The winds of change hit Florida’s secondary room hard over the offseason.

In addition to several departures via the transfer portal, the Gators parted ways with defensive backs coach Corey Raymond and hired Will Harris from the Chargers to take over the reins. Harris has received positive reviews, but his players haven’t taken the field for a real game yet.

First, we’ll take a look at the cornerbacks on the roster. These are the guys who line up on the outside, rather than the safeties who play more up the middle. There’s also the STAR position, which is what Florida calls its nickelback, but we’ll go over those hybrid defensive backs with the safeties.

Let’s take a look at every cornerback on Florida’s roster. Check out Gators Wire’s other position previews for the 2024 season below.

Starting Cornerback: No. 3 Jason Marshall Jr. (Sr.)

Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun

Defensive Stats:

Year GP SOLO AST TOT TFL SACKS INT PD
2021 13 15 8 23 2-7 0-0 1 4
2022 13 20 9 29 1-2 0-0 1 9
2023 12 20 6 26 3-19 1-9 0 10
Total 38 55 23 78 6-28 1-9 2 23

[autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]. is a former five-star recruit who draft experts view as Florida’s best prospect in the coming cycle. He could have tried his luck in the NFL at the end of his junior season, but he decided to return to Florida to increase his draft stock.

As the unquestioned No. 1 of the unit, Marshall should be on the field for most plays. He took 651 snaps a year ago, and ended the 2023 season with a 68.6 overall defensive grade on Pro Football Focus. There are some questions about his tackling ability, but Marshall showed he has lockdown ability by allowing just 17 catches on 38 targets (44.7%).

“I think Jason has taken a step forward as a leader. I’m proud of him. I think he’s been more vocal. I think his practice habits have improved. I think Coach Harris has been good for Jason. I also joke with him all the time, it’s a contract year for him,”Billy Napier said. “He’s back. I think he came back for a reason – not only to leave a better legacy at UF, but to increase value at the same time.”

Starting Cornerback: No. 28 Devin Moore (Jr.)

Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive Stats:

Year GP SOLO AST TOT TFL SACKS INT PD
2022 5 4 2 6 0-0 0-0 0 0
2023 7 5 1 6 0-0 0-0 1 4
Total 12 9 3 12 0-0 0-0 1 4

Devin Moore has shown flashes of greatness in both years he’s been with the Gators, but he can’t seem to stay healthy throughout the regular season. Ten pounds heavier coming into the 2024 season, Moore is hopeful to double his games played from 12 to 24 (or 25 with a bowl game).

Moore was Florida’s highest-graded cornerback in 2023. Pro Football Focus gave him a 78.3 overall defensive grade and an 81.7 coverage grade. His completion percentage allowed of 41.7% was even better than Marshall’s last year, albeit over 12 targets. Still, there’s some draft hope here if he can get stay healthy this season and put up similar numbers.

“During the offseason, I did everything I can to prehab you know just work on my body,” Moore said. “Make sure I’m in the best position to be healthy and stay healthy.”

Backups: No. 2 Ja’Keem Jackson (So.) and Dijon Johnson (So.)

Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports

Ja’Keem Jackson:

Year GP SOLO AST TOT TFL SACKS INT PD
2023 11 5 2 7 0-0 0-0 0 3

Dijon Johnson:

Year GP SOLO AST TOT TFL SACKS INT PD
2023 12 1 1 2 0-0 0-0 0 0

[autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] saw more snaps at cornerback (113) than [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag] (22), but both are expected to move up the depth chart in Year 2 with the Florida Gators.

Jackson’s numbers aren’t too gaudy, but he showed promise as a pass rusher, which is unique for a defensive back. He allowed 6 catches on 11 targets a season ago, so there’s some work to be done in coverage.

There’s a lot of confidence that Jackson will take a big step forward with more time on the field. He’s a former track star who also played receiver, so there’s an understanding of both sides of the ball there.

Johnson didn’t see the field a ton last year, but he impressed in fall camp. It might take an injury for him to see 200-plus snaps this season, but the former four-star recruit should up his total from the 22 snaps he played a year ago.

Reserves: No. 25 Cormani McClain (So.)

Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun

At Colorado:

Year GP SOLO AST TOT TFL SACKS INT PD
2023 10 6 7 13 1-2 0-0 0 2

[autotag]Cormani McClain[/autotag] is finally a Gator, but it might take some time for him to fit into the rotation at cornerback in Gainesville. The former No. 1 overall recruit left Colorado after a season and joined Florida as a preferred walk-on.

It wouldn’t be shocking to see him get regular playing time this year, but McClain’s best moments are still likely 12 months or more away. Learning a new system is tricky, and Colorado’s coaching staff might have done more harm than good from a mental standpoint. You have to root for a story like this, but allow McClain a season to readjust.

Freshman: No. 4 Teddy Foster (Fr.) and Jameer Grimsley (Fr.)

Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun

Florida added two cornerbacks to the roster from the 2024 recruiting cycle. Teddy Foster and Jameer Grimsley are the new faces in the position room, although the latter is actually a transfer who left Alabama after learning Nick Saban was stepping down.

Grimsley is the more highly-touted prospect, but he might be held back a bit because of the transfer situation. Both he and Foster should serve in reserve roles, similar to what Jackson and Johnson did last year.

Walk-On: No. 37 Javion Toombs (R-So.)

Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun
Year GP SOLO AST TOT TFL SACKS INT PD
2023 7 1 0 1 0-0 0-0 0 0

We only have one walk-on cornerback to go over as the rest of the walk-ons in the defensive backs room profile as safeties. Javion Toombs joined the team in the summer of 2022 and redshirted after making no appearances.

He played in seven games a season ago, mostly in a special teams role, but he managed to record his first defensive tackle at the college level.

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Freshman snags two INTs on first day of Florida training camp

Fall training camp has started in Gainesville, and it was freshman cornerback Dijon Johnson that stole the show on Day 1.

The Florida Gators are just getting fall training camp started, but one freshman is already standing out. Cornerback [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag] recorded a pair of interceptions on Monday, the first of camp, according to former Wharton High head coach Mike Williams Sr. on Twitter.

Johnson, a consensus four-star recruit out of high school, initially committed to Ohio State before flipping to Florida. He’s the fifth-highest-ranked player in Florida’s 2023 recruiting class and is competing for a second-string cornerback spot heading into his freshman season.

Florida’s No. 1 corner in 2023 will be junior Jason Marshall Jr. Battling for the other starting spot are Jalen Kimber and Devin Moore. Jaydon Hill moved from cornerback to the STAR to compete for reps, opening the door for Johnson and fellow freshman Ja’Keem Jackson to get some reps.

Jackson joined the team as the higher-ranked recruit, but Johnson could easily get the same amount of snaps, especially if there’s an injury to one of the three players competing for a starting spot.

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Corey Raymond coaching entire Florida defensive back corps in 2023

Cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond is stepping into a larger role in 2023 and coaching the entire Florida secondary.

Following the departure of former Florida safeties coach and defensive coordinator [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag], cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] is getting a promotion of sorts.

Raymond will coach the entire Florida secondary in 2023, according to a Gators Online report. The Gators have reportedly landed on former Southern Miss defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong to take over Toney’s playcalling role, but it’s Raymond who will take over the safeties room – a room that he helped build.

Several of Florida’s biggest signings in the Billy Napier era have seen Raymond as the lead recruiter, including five-star IMG Academy safety [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] and incoming freshman four-star safety [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag]. He knows the position room well and should manage the increased workload just fine. Raymond is considered among the nation’s elite position coaches and has a knack for developing NFL talent.

It won’t be easy for Raymond in Year 1, though. He has to replace both Trey Dean III and Rashad Torrence II’s production next season. Losing two starters is always tough, but Florida also lost some depth to the transfer portal. Wilson is ready to step into a starting role, but Raymond might have to lean on some of Florida’s young talent this season.

Napier could add someone to help Raymond before finalizing his staff, but this move seems like it addresses the team’s needs.

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Where Florida’s 2023 recruiting class finished in the Top247

Eight players in Florida’s 2023 recruiting class finished the cycle ranked in the Top247.

247Sports updated its individual class of 2023 rankings, the Top247, one final time on Thursday, and the Florida Gators are bringing in a trio of top-100 recruits among plenty of other quality athletes.

Cornerback [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] leads the pack at No. 49 after moving up 23 spots following a strong postseason display at the Under Armour All-American game and practices. He’s the fourth-highest-rated cornerback in the class on 247Sports’ final board, and there’s plenty of reason to be excited about him as a Gator.

Defensive lineman [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag] just missed out on the top 50 at No. 53 overall, but he almost made as big of a jump as Jackson, moving 21 spots up the Top247. Another All-American game standout, Collins also shined at the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star game to help boost his stock. He and Jackson could get early looks on the field at Florida and both enrolled early at the university.

Defensive lineman [autotag]Kamran James[/autotag] is the final Gators signee ranked in the top 100. Moving up 16 spots to No. 82 in the final Top247 update, James was one of the early gems Billy Napier and his recruiting staff identified and got to work on. He’s also enrolled early and set to be a part of a strong incoming defensive line class.

They rank wide receiver [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag] just outside of the top 100 at No. 108, up four spots from No. 112. He’ll be a major addition to a receivers room that’s losing a decent amount of talent to the transfer portal and draft. Offensive lineman [autotag]Roderick Kearney[/autotag] is next at No. 147, a one-spot improvement from the last update. The Florida State flip should be on the interior of Florida’s offensive line and joins the team as it loses four of five starters.

Rounding out the group is a trio of Gators signees that saw their rankings dip since the last update. Defensive back [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag] dropped from No. 152 to No. 160, wide receiver [autotag]Aidan Mizell[/autotag] fell from No. 189 to No. 202 and edge rusher [autotag]TJ Searcy[/autotag] went from No. 234 to No. 244.

Mizell’s senior year ended before it began because of injury, so that’s not on him. Johnson actually improved in rating from a 93 to a 94, but that didn’t save him from others who made bigger jumps at the last minute.

In total, Florida had eight players crack the 2023 Top247 and plenty of other four-star recruits that sit just outside. Not to mention quarterback [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag] who would have led the group at No. 44 overall had he not been released from his national letter of intent.

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Florida drops outside top 10 in ESPN’s 2023 recruiting class rankings

After the departure of Jaden Rashada, the Florida Gators have dropped outside the top ten in ESPN’s 2023 recruiting class rankings.

The Florida Gators have dropped outside of the top 10 in ESPN’s ranking of 2023 recruiting classes. The Orange and Blue’s incoming class rank went from No. 9 to No. 11, largely due to [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag]’s departure from Florida’s class.

The Gators had been hovering around the top 10 of the recruiting rankings since July when a surge of commitments created a buzz around the Florida program and first-year head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]. This was a stark contrast from the end of June when Napier penned an open letter to the Gator Nation, pleading for patience and trust in the process.

Napier was a fantastic recruiter at Louisiana, having the No. 1 recruiting class in the Sun Belt in all four seasons at the helm. But he didn’t do this alone. The addition of top-tier assistants such as assistant head coach and defense/cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag], co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach [autotag]Sean Spencer[/autotag], and many more, have had a massive impact on the recruiting trail. Raymond is considered one of the best, if not the best, defensive backs developers in the nation.

The Gators were able to sign most of their 2023 commits during the early signing period in December. After the Rashada situation, Florida’s quarterback situation started to look murky, with [autotag]Jack Miller[/autotag] the lone scholarship quarterback from 2022 to remain on the roster. The arrival of [autotag]Graham Mertz[/autotag] from Wisconsin creates some competition for the starting role.

Here is what ESPN’s Craig Haubert had to say about including the Gators in his latest 2023 class ranking:

Billy Napier has taken advantage of in-state talent with several Sunshine State pickups, assembling a strong secondary from that pool. The Gators have added several ESPN 300 DBs, including CBs [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] and CB [autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag], who has good feet and brings a tough, scrappy demeanor. [autotag]Aaron Gates[/autotag], who stayed on even after committing to the previous staff, projects to defensive back and can be a versatile player with his quickness and ball skills. [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag], listed as an athlete, projects to WR and is a player who tests very well, which will translate to his play on the field. Adding more potential firepower to their passing attack is [autotag]Aidan Mizell[/autotag], a lengthy target with big-play speed. [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag] is a nice addition to the trenches, as he has been a multiyear starter at IMG Academy and should come in ready to compete for playing time. The Gators also flipped ESPN 300 OG [autotag]Roderick Kearney[/autotag], a powerful and flexible big man who could work his way into the two-deep quickly, from Florida State. It is hard to win the SEC without being strong along the defensive front, and Collins leads a talented group of defensive linemen. Napier showed what he can do with a full cycle to work assembling one of the top classes in the country, but a late split with ESPN 300 QB Jaden Rashada still leaves a need under center.

The official national signing day is scheduled for Feb. 1, with most of the 2023 class deciding to enroll early and participate in spring practices.

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Billy Napier describes trio of defensive backs as a ‘very versatile group’

Gators fans could see some improvements in the secondary next season thanks to Napier’s positional overhaul.

The Florida secondary will be undergoing an overhaul for the 2023 season. Defensive backs [autotag]Trey Dean III[/autotag], [autotag]Rashad Torrence II[/autotag], [autotag]Donovan McMillon[/autotag] and [autotag]Corey Collier Jr[/autotag]. have all left the program either due to graduation, declaring for the NFL draft or entering the transfer portal.

[autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] and [autotag]Miguel Mitchell[/autotag] are the only returning safeties from the 2022 season. Because of the roster turnover, highly-touted recruits like [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag], [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag] will undoubtedly get playing time over the course of the season. But those aren’t the names that Napier singled out.

Head coach Billy Napier believes that [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag], [autotag]Bryce Thornton[/autotag], and [autotag]Aaron Gates[/autotag] are the early contenders to provide the position depth in 2023. In addition to being the team’s defensive coordinator, [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] is also tasked with being the safeties coach, working with cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] to craft the defensive backfield.

Napier praised Castell’s ability to cover receivers in man-to-man or zone coverage, Thornton’s football IQ, and Gates’ competitive nature, noting that he was the lone holdover from the previous staff to become a Florida Gator in 2023. Gates is coming off a torn ACL suffered in his final season of prep football, but the staff maintained their belief in him and brought him in.

Overall, the secondary looks to be at the dawn of a new era. For a long time, Florida fans were unsure about the talent level in the secondary. It seems like this group will be the ones to begin the process of restoring Florida to its “DBU” status, something that hasn’t been able to be said in a long time.

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