Jaydon Hill – Page 3 – Syndication Server

Up-and-coming Gators cornerback still slowed by injury

The Gators had high hopes for this defensive back but will have to wait to see how well he recovers from his injury.

Florida football established a reputation as the “defensive back university” in the first part of the new millennium. The Gators are hoping to keep that torch lit after [autotag]Kaiir Elam[/autotag] was selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft.

One of those expected to help carry on the legacy is [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag], a four-star cornerback in the 2019 recruiting cycle who signed under [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag]. The Madison, Alabama, product appeared in 10 games as a reserve and was also named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll during his true freshman season.

His sophomore season saw him elevate his game, appearing in all 12 games including five starts on defense. The 6-foot, 181-pound cornerback finished 2020 with 14 tackles — nine solo and five assisted — while also ranking second amongst the Gators with seven pass breakups.

However, his junior season was spoiled by a preseason ACL tear that kept him on the sidelines in 2021. Now, the bad news is that he has still not fully recovered from his surgery and will not be available to take part in Florida’s fall camp, according to Swamp247.

“Jaydon Hill is currently not able to participate,” Napier announced. “I think a little bit of that is to be determined, based on his recovery, the rehab process.”

Florida still has a formidable lineup in the defensive backfield headlined by former five-star cornerback [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag], who is getting set for his second season in Gainesville this summer. Nonetheless, if Hill can get back onto the field sooner than later, it would give the Gators a much-needed boost in [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s first season at the helm.

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Florida among teams most likely to rebound in 2022 season, per ESPN

The Gators have a new head coach and are ready to bounce back from what was a pretty disastrous 2021. What chances does ESPN give UF to improve?

The Florida Gators were one of 13 Division I college football teams that had their average points per game decrease by more than 10 in 2021, but ESPN thinks UF is primed to bounce back under first-year head coach Billy Napier.

In a breakdown of teams likely to improve in 2022, ESPN’s Bill Connelly has the Gators improving by 2.9 points per game (11.0 to 13.9) and finishing 23rd overall in SP+ with a 7-5 record. That’s a far cry from the Gators’ monstrous average of 23.9 points per game in 2020, when the team ranked sixth in SP+.

But improvement takes time, especially when Dan Mullen left Napier a rather empty talent cupboard. Connelly notes the Gators still have plenty of players brimming with potential that could make things go right.

As is always the case when a coach takes over a job in which their predecessor was fired, there are potential stumbling blocks in Gainesville. The skill corps is very thin outside of receiver Justin Shorter and transfers [autotag]Montrell Johnson[/autotag] (Louisiana) and [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] (Arizona State), and the defense wasn’t nearly disruptive enough last fall. But quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] has flashed immense potential, key defenders [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] (linebacker) and [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] (cornerback) return from injury, and the schedule includes only a couple of truly likely losses (vs. Georgia, at Texas A&M).

As it stands, the Gators have a 69% chance of improving their record, and Richardson reaching his full potential (or maybe even just some of it) would increase that number by a lot.

Florida isn’t expected to bounce back nearly as strongly as some other programs, such as USC, but the Gators should be better than last year.

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How long does ESPN think it will take Billy Napier to find success?

It might be a little bit longer than most Gator fans would like until UF wins the SEC East again, but Billy Napier has a ton of talent at Florida to work with.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly previewed the SEC East on Monday, and he had quite a bit to say about the Florida Gators, as one may expect.

Connelly tackled several big questions surrounding the top programs in the conference, and one of them was how long Gator Nation could expect it to take for Billy Napier to succeed in Gainesville? The answer isn’t so simple, but he’s expecting it to take a bit longer than most that fill the Swamp on Saturdays would like to hear.

“The Gators could indeed be positioned to make a leap next year. This year? Hard to say,” Connely said.

Florida’s offense might actually be in a better spot right now than it was last year at this time, but the defense has much to prove. Eight of the twelve returning players on defense were freshmen last year, and the youth showed on the field. Connelly pointed to [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] returning as difference makers for this year, but he also said that the sophomores need to take a big leap for the team to be competitive against the conference’s best.

If [autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag] and Co. can shake off the Todd Grantham funk quickly enough, Florida could impress quicker than expected. Offensively, the line is in better shape than it was last year. Napier brought in [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] from Louisiana to help lead that front and has [autotag]Montrell Johnson[/autotag] to lead the running backs room. Of course, [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] has the biggest ceiling of anyone on the team, and Napier’s job is to help him control his raw talent and turn it into something consistent. If Richardson gets it together, Florida should be able to put up some gaudy numbers.

Napier lost three of his first four with ULL, but the Ragin’ Cajuns won six of the next eight and wound up winning the Sun Belt West title that season. Florida’s got far more talent to work with, but the SEC East isn’t exactly a walk in the park.

Connelly’s SP+ projections have Florida finishing third in the East this year, ahead of Kentucky and behind Tennessee.

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Check out where ESPN thinks Florida’s future defense ranks

Will the new coaching staff lead Florida to an elite defense over the next few years? ESPN like UF’s chances.

If you like way-too-early predictions and projections, ESPN’s latest ranking of future defenses might interest you. Georgia made it clear in 2021 that defense is king, at least for now, and it’s worth taking a look ahead at which teams have the most talent on that side of the ball.

Before we dive into it, let’s take a look at exactly what’s being measured in these defensive rankings. It’s impossible to know exactly what a team is going to look like over the next couple of years, but ESPN has opted to take the current rosters and look as far ahead as 2024 to get the job done. Returning players, incoming transfers and expected NFL departures are all factored into these rankings. Still, those changes can continually affect a program if they come up consistently.

With that being said, ESPN has Florida at a respectable No. 21 on the list after finishing at No. 12 last year. The drop is hardly surprising considering the disaster of a defense the Gators have fielded over the past two years. Let’s not forget that defensive coordinator [autotag]Todd Grantham[/autotag] was the first domino to drop in the collapse of the Mullen regime. [autotag]Kaiir Elam[/autotag] and [autotag]Zachary Carter[/autotag], two key contributors over the last two seasons, are also gone via the NFL draft.

“Florida is one of the tougher teams to project after so many changes, on both its roster and the coaching staff. But the foundation on defense, combined with a promising start to recruiting, vaults the Gators into the rankings for the first time in this year’s FPR series.”

Co-defensive coordinators [autotag]Sean Spencer[/autotag] and [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] have plenty of talent to work with in 2022 and showed promise by nabbing five-star safety [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] among a handful of other blue-chip recruits in a short cycle.

[autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag] and [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]. are the players to look for up front, and “the development of others will significant” as well. [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] leads a young group of linebackers, including freshman [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag], and the secondary has some returning talent in [autotag]Trey Dean[/autotag], [autotag]Rashad Torrence[/autotag] and [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr.[/autotag] [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] is also coming back from an injury that kept him out all of last year.

That leaves Florida sixth in terms of future defenses in the Southeastern Conference. Georgia, Texas A&M and Alabama take up Nos. 2-4 on the list, in that order, after reeling in strong recruiting classes year after year. If [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] can keep up the early success he’s had at Florida bringing in young talent, then Florida should start to close the gap between No. 21 and those three schools in the top five.

At the very least, the goal should be to get above Kentucky (No. 18) and start creeping up on LSU (No. 9). There’s a real feeling that Florida can reclaim the title of DBU over the next few years with former LSU defensive backs coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] in tow. The recruiting class of 2023 should have a huge impact on the Gators’ future defense ranking.

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Defensive backs coach Corey Raymond looking to restore DBU title at Florida

Corey Raymond’s experience is invaluable at a time when Florida desperately needs to turn things around on defense.

The Florida Gators’ defense has been a bit of a disaster over the past couple of years, but [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] is hoping to turn things around after bringing in experienced support staff to coach that side of the ball. One of the more important names on the new staff is cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag].

After 10 years with LSU, Raymond and the Tigers parted ways as Brian Kelly took over and chose not to retain him on the staff. Napier quickly jumped in and got one of the top position coaches in the country on his staff to start recruiting.

The decision paid off almost immediately as five-star safety [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] decided to sign with Florida over a top 4 of Florida State, Georgia, LSU and Texas A&M.

“First time (in Gators colors) was different for me,” Raymond said to Gators Online. ” I went to college (at LSU), I’m from there, but that blue and orange is looking good on me. I’m in Florida. I recruited the state of Florida. It has a lot of talent. We have a chance to do special things here.”

Raymond produced 14 NFL defensive backs while at LSU, including three first-rounders. He knows what it takes to get the best at the college level ready for the pros, and he’s relentless in his efforts to get them there.

“It’s going to take a little time getting used to me, who I am,” he said. “Because I’m hard to get along with out there on the field. It’s demanding. You play a position that’s an easy place to line up, but there’s a lot of little things you have to do to be good at the position.”

Raymond sees plenty of potential in Florida’s current crop of cornerbacks. [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]. has a chance to develop into an elite corner under Raymond’s guidance, and [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Kimber[/autotag] also have the potential to be great once fully returned from injury.

Florida’s new cornerbacks coach not only has the respect of the players but he’s revered by most everyone on the staff. Napier thinks highly of him as both a coach and a person, and he appreciates Raymond’s veteran presence on the side of the ball he’s less involved with.

Co-defensive coordinators [autotag]Sean Spencer[/autotag] and [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] also appreciate having Raymond on the staff. Toney coaches the safeties on the team, but he’s also tasked with calling all of the Gators’ defensive plays. Having Raymond to help with the defensive backs is about as useful a tool as you could ask for.

“He’s like the Yoda of DB coaching,” Spencer said. “This guy has coached everybody. He talks in that room, just so confident. He has so much experience. He’s been around the league. He’s been multiple places.”

The early returns have been good on Napier’s investment in Raymond, but his legacy at UF will ultimately be determined by how his players perform during the season. If Florida is going to claim the title of “DBU” once again, Raymond will be the reason why.

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Florida CB Jaydon Hill involved in felony theft case

Jaydon Hill admitted to stealing a debit card in May and is facing the consequences.

Florida’s Jaydon Hill signed a deferred prosecution agreement on July 28 after admitting to the theft of a debit card he used to pay over $1,600 in parking tickets, according to WUFT.

The junior cornerback is already out for the year after suffering a torn ACL and it’s unclear if the team has punished Hill for the felony charges. Hill will avoid three charges on his record if he completes 50 hours of community service, reimburses the $1,753 in stolen money and stays out of trouble for the next year.

Police tracked down Hill after tracing the parking citations that were paid. Surveillance footage also caught Hill pumping gas and getting food using the stolen card. Police questioned Hill on June 2 about the May 8 incident. He initially denied the accusations but quickly admitted to stealing the card after police found an image of the victim’s driver’s license on Hill’s phone.

Expected to be the No. 2 cornerback for the Gators this year before the injury, it’s unclear how the legal issues will impact Hill’s future at Florida. He’s played in 22 games over two seasons with UF and recorded 25 tackles and 10 pass breakups.

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Florida CB Jaydon Hill out for the season with a torn ACL

Florida’s Jaydon Hill was in prime position to grab a starting spot this season, but it won’t be the case due to injury due to a torn ACL.

Florida cornerback Jaydon Hill was in prime position to start opposite of star teammate Kaiir Elam. However, he won’t be able to compete at all this season. Coach Dan Mullen said Thursday that he has suffered a torn ACL in his left knee that will keep him from playing in the 2021 campaign. Hill suffered a similar injury in his right knee during his senior year of high school.

“Jaydon Hill tore his ACL, he’ll be out for the year,” Mullen said. “Very unfortunate when you’ve got to deal with injuries. It’s really a tragedy the amount of work these guys put in, how hard they put in.”

Without Hill, the Gators will have to turn to a host of young players that don’t have a ton of experience like five-star freshman Jason Marshall, redshirt freshman Avery Helm and Ethan Pouncey and new transfer cornerback Jadarrius Perkins.

“There will be a bunch of guys. You’re still in training camp, so there’s going to be a lot of opportunities for guys coming in,” he said. “We have Perkins transferred in, going to have an opportunity. You have Avery Helm who I think is going to be extremely talented. Might just have to accelerate his career to get him on the field. Ethan Pouncey coming off the surgeries, really kind of getting back to the player we thought he could be. So there are going to be some of those young guys who get a little more opportunity than they were expecting at this point.”

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Mullen added that Hill was obviously very disappointed but noted he’s gone through it before.

“So I think he understands how to come through it, what he needs to do and how he can get through it and how he’ll improve,” he said. “And I think within knowing the program, knowing the defense, knowing his maturity is a guy that’s going to be pretty comfortable saying, ‘Hey, I put myself in a position to be a starter, and I had this little setback, but I worked hard. I had to work hard to be a starter.’ And if you’ve done that, know the path of hard work, how to get into that role, when you get knocked off course, you know how to get back there.”

Hopefully, Hill has a speedy recovery, so he can be ready to compete for a starting spot next season.

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Gators cornerback Jaydon Hill’s journey to become likely starter

Florida cornerback Jaydon Hill had the challenge of recovering from an ACL tear while adjusting to the speed of college football.

Florida cornerback Jaydon Hill faced one of the most difficult challenges any college football player will ever face. He was recovering from an ACL tear that happened in the first part of his high school senior season while trying to adjust to the college game. Heading into year three with the Gators, Hill will vie for a starting spot opposite of All-American candidate Kaiir Elam.

Entering year three with the Gators, Hill met with the media to preview fall camp. He discussed some of the struggles he faced as a freshman. He wasn’t allowed to participate in contact drills, but he was able to compete with the defense in almost anything else in 2019.

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“When I got here, honestly, I couldn’t even draw up a play besides Cover 3,” he said. “I knew one defense, Cover 3.”

Hill played high school football in Huntsville, Alabama, where his team relied on their players’ physical talent and ran a simplified scheme. This helped him gain recognition, but it put him behind trying to learn about college football.

“My game has progressed tremendously, my mindset off the field, in meeting rooms, I couldn’t even diagram an offense,” Hill said. “Now I can draw up offensive plays, defensive plays and match them.”

He feels like he is in the best shape mentally and physically of his career. Hill gave most of the credit to his former teammates.

“It’s been an honor to come in and have CJ (Henderson), Marco (Wilson), those older guys to just spell out the game to you,” he said. “I was basically a sponge when I got here. Being hurt, I really couldn’t do much, so I basically just soaked up a lot from them boys.”

His coaches have also noticed his progress. Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said Friday that he’s done a great job of trying to improve every day.

“He’s worked hard to understand leverage, to understand concepts,” he said, according to Swamp247. “He understands the importance of being physical and working the play… like I said make plays with the ball in the air. Really a guy that can take the coaching. You know the thing that happens is you are going to have plays that you can always improve upon. The thing about Jaydon is that he’s very coachable. He improves on the last thing that happened which allows him to be the player he wants to be and helps the defense.”

If he earns the starting spot across from Elam, Hill will likely have opposing offenses target him. But he said it’s another challenge he’s prepared for.

“I mean, I want that,” he said. “I like for that to be the case. I want teams to come at me. That’s what I’ve been working for.”

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Six Florida players feeling the pressure as fall camp gets started

Here are six Florida players The Athletic believes face the most pressure this season.

Coach Dan Mullen and the Florida football team kicked off their fall camp Friday to prepare for the 2021 season. The Gators’ first game is versus FAU on Sept. 4 in the Swamp. Heading into the new season, Florida enters as a heavy underdog. Only seven out of the 134 voters at SEC Media Days picked the Orange and Blue to repeat as the East Division winner and only one pegged the program to become SEC Champions.

As fall camp kicked off Friday, there are a handful of players trying to cling to their starting spot or prove they deserve to be the No. 1 running back or wide receiver. Here are six players The Athletic believes are feeling the most pressure heading into fall camp.