Jalen Tabor is a key piece to Florida's defensive success in 2016. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA)
Tabor Strives to Separate Himself from Pack
Wednesday, April 6, 2016 | Football, Scott Carter
The junior cornerback is primed for a breakout season in 2016
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Gators defensive lineman Jordan Sherit was finished answering questions from the media after Tuesday's practice when he started to walk out of the team's indoor practice facility.
Sherit saw teammate Jalen Tabor holding court with a group of reporters when he reminded Tabor that one of his interceptions during practice should have been his.
"I had it and he took it away,'' Sherit said. "Us D-Linemen don't have too many chances at those."
Sherit batted down a pass and as the ball floated just out of his grasp, the speedy Tabor swooped in and swiped the ball before Sherit could extend his arms. Florida's receivers know how Sherit feels.
A junior cornerback who blossomed as a sophomore -- many consider Tabor's 2015 season better than the one by Vernon Hargreaves III, a potential top-10 pick in the NFL Draft later this month -- Tabor has looked comfortable in his expanded role this spring.
Losing a player of Hargreaves' caliber might be a difficult challenge for most programs, but with the 6-foot-1, 199-pound Tabor back for at least one more season, Florida's secondary is positioned as one of the team's strengths.
"If he gets his hands on you, it's hard to get open,'' receivers coach Kerry Dixon said. "That guy is the real deal."
Tabor's confidence has grown with experience. One of the nation's top defensive back prospects coming out of high school, Tabor joined a loaded secondary two years ago led by Hargreaves. That didn't keep him out of the lineup as Tabor played in all 12 games and started five.
He matched Hargreaves a season ago and created a dilemma for opposing offensive coordinators. Would you rather try to beat Hargreaves or Tabor?
Michigan chose Hargreaves in the Citrus Bowl and it paid off with a pair of big pass plays in Michigan's 41-7 victory.
Tabor said Tuesday that he hasn't set specific goals for the 2016 season, but he has been keeping track of his interceptions this spring. He estimates he has at least seven, including two on Tuesday.
"I got my hands on a lot of balls today, should have had more,'' he said. "Pretty good day but got beat at the end. Me and the safety had miscommunication, so we'll get that cleaned up."
Tabor's quest for perfection is a trait the great ones have and something first-year defensive backs coach Torrian Gray has known about Tabor since high school. Gray was at Virginia Tech when Tabor became a top college prospect at Friendship Collegiate Academy in Washington, D.C.
He knew the type of player he inherited when named Florida's defensive backs coach in February.
"All those guys that are really great at the position, they believe in themselves," Gray said. "He has that savvy, that cockiness or arrogance or competitiveness that you've got to have to be a top-flight corner."
Tabor led the Gators with 18 passes defended as a sophomore, and he tied Hargreaves for the team lead with four interceptions. Tabor returned two of his interceptions for touchdowns, including a game-clinching one in the win at Missouri.
The Gators cap spring camp on Friday night with the Orange & Blue Debut spring game. However, that is nothing more than another step in the process to build toward next season for Tabor.
He spoke with teammate Quincy Wilson on Tuesday about the summer ahead and the importance of staying focused to be ready come fall.
"We have five months to prepare. It's already April, it got here so quick. So we have five months prepare so we have to do the right thing,'' he said. "We're supposed to the best, but people will show us up. We have to prepare like we're the best."
Gators head coach Jim McElwain isn't too concerned about Tabor's drive. That is often the difference between good players and great players, and Tabor appears to be a member of the latter.
"There's something to be said about really loving football, and this guy loves it,'' McElwain said. "The way he practices and goes about his business is something you wish everybody would do."
Tabor's passion for the game stretches beyond his performance. He follows the game closely and figures he first started watching the NFL Draft when he was about 4. He maintains contact with Hargreaves to pick his brain about his experiences going through the draft process.
Gray said that curiosity and attention to detail is reflective of all the great players he has coached. Gray then should like what Tabor said is his primary focus in 2016.
"I just want to show everybody that I'm a complete corner," he said.
Sherit saw teammate Jalen Tabor holding court with a group of reporters when he reminded Tabor that one of his interceptions during practice should have been his.
"I had it and he took it away,'' Sherit said. "Us D-Linemen don't have too many chances at those."
Sherit batted down a pass and as the ball floated just out of his grasp, the speedy Tabor swooped in and swiped the ball before Sherit could extend his arms. Florida's receivers know how Sherit feels.
A junior cornerback who blossomed as a sophomore -- many consider Tabor's 2015 season better than the one by Vernon Hargreaves III, a potential top-10 pick in the NFL Draft later this month -- Tabor has looked comfortable in his expanded role this spring.
Losing a player of Hargreaves' caliber might be a difficult challenge for most programs, but with the 6-foot-1, 199-pound Tabor back for at least one more season, Florida's secondary is positioned as one of the team's strengths.
"If he gets his hands on you, it's hard to get open,'' receivers coach Kerry Dixon said. "That guy is the real deal."
Tabor's confidence has grown with experience. One of the nation's top defensive back prospects coming out of high school, Tabor joined a loaded secondary two years ago led by Hargreaves. That didn't keep him out of the lineup as Tabor played in all 12 games and started five.
He matched Hargreaves a season ago and created a dilemma for opposing offensive coordinators. Would you rather try to beat Hargreaves or Tabor?
Michigan chose Hargreaves in the Citrus Bowl and it paid off with a pair of big pass plays in Michigan's 41-7 victory.
Tabor said Tuesday that he hasn't set specific goals for the 2016 season, but he has been keeping track of his interceptions this spring. He estimates he has at least seven, including two on Tuesday.
"I got my hands on a lot of balls today, should have had more,'' he said. "Pretty good day but got beat at the end. Me and the safety had miscommunication, so we'll get that cleaned up."
Tabor's quest for perfection is a trait the great ones have and something first-year defensive backs coach Torrian Gray has known about Tabor since high school. Gray was at Virginia Tech when Tabor became a top college prospect at Friendship Collegiate Academy in Washington, D.C.
He knew the type of player he inherited when named Florida's defensive backs coach in February.
"All those guys that are really great at the position, they believe in themselves," Gray said. "He has that savvy, that cockiness or arrogance or competitiveness that you've got to have to be a top-flight corner."
Tabor led the Gators with 18 passes defended as a sophomore, and he tied Hargreaves for the team lead with four interceptions. Tabor returned two of his interceptions for touchdowns, including a game-clinching one in the win at Missouri.
The Gators cap spring camp on Friday night with the Orange & Blue Debut spring game. However, that is nothing more than another step in the process to build toward next season for Tabor.
He spoke with teammate Quincy Wilson on Tuesday about the summer ahead and the importance of staying focused to be ready come fall.
"We have five months to prepare. It's already April, it got here so quick. So we have five months prepare so we have to do the right thing,'' he said. "We're supposed to the best, but people will show us up. We have to prepare like we're the best."
Gators head coach Jim McElwain isn't too concerned about Tabor's drive. That is often the difference between good players and great players, and Tabor appears to be a member of the latter.
"There's something to be said about really loving football, and this guy loves it,'' McElwain said. "The way he practices and goes about his business is something you wish everybody would do."
Tabor's passion for the game stretches beyond his performance. He follows the game closely and figures he first started watching the NFL Draft when he was about 4. He maintains contact with Hargreaves to pick his brain about his experiences going through the draft process.
Gray said that curiosity and attention to detail is reflective of all the great players he has coached. Gray then should like what Tabor said is his primary focus in 2016.
"I just want to show everybody that I'm a complete corner," he said.
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