Shemar James returns for his third season with the Gators. (Photo: Maddie Washburn/UAA Communications)
Gators Position Preview: Linebacker
Tuesday, August 20, 2024 | Football, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Gators have had some quality linebackers over the past decade, but when the adjective "elite" is applied, Jarrad Davis is the first that comes to mind.
Davis played the game fearlessly and was always in the middle of the action from his spot on the second level of the defense. A first-round pick of the Lions in 2017, Davis was formidable, physical and intuitive.
Still, in the three seasons Davis started from 2014-16, he never led the Gators in tackles. That was because middle linebacker Antonio Morrison played similarly, although Davis was more physically gifted. Morrison led the Gators in stops in those three seasons, narrowly edging Davis (103 to 98) for the team lead in 2015.
A glance at Florida's list of leading tacklers in recent seasons is indicative of the team's defensive decline: safeties Jordan Castell (2023), Rashad Torrence II (2022) and Trey Dean III (2021) have led the team. That usually spells trouble for the defense, and in the Gators' case, their status in the lower half of the national rankings is proof.
Do the Gators have a group of linebackers that can make stops and prevent playmakers from reaching the secondary before being tackled? First-year assistant Ron Roberts, a veteran defensive mind hired with the multi-layered title of executive head coach/co-defensive coordinator/inside linebackers, is optimistic the group he inherited has promise.
"We've got a bunch. It's going to be a fierce competition,'' Roberts said as preseason camp opened. "I feel really comfortable that we're sitting there six, eight guys that are all big, fast, can run, physical. It's going to be an opportunity to bring out the best in them in this competition."
If Roberts is right, maybe by season's end, one of the linebackers will be considered "elite" based on performance rather than recruiting rankings. If Florida's defense shows drastic improvement, that player will likely lead the team in tackles.
With preseason camp about to be tackled by game week, we continue our Gators Position Previews with a closer look at the linebacker unit.
Shemar James takes on added importance heading into his junior season. Not only are the Gators expecting a comeback season from James, who missed the final four games last season due to a knee injury, but he will also be the primary player in the coach-to-player helmet communication system instituted in 2024. James will wear a helmet designated with a green dot and equipped with headphones to hear a coach on the sideline up to 15 seconds left on the play clock or when the ball is snapped – whichever comes first. James recorded 55 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and a sack before getting hurt a season ago. He is now one of the team's veterans and rising leader, and he can make a giant leap on the field with the additional muscle he added through the Gators' revamped strength and conditioning program. Veteran Derek Wingo is among a rare breed in today's college football landscape: a fifth-year senior who has spent his entire career at the same school. A former Gatorade Florida Player of the Year at St. Thomas Aquinas High in Fort Lauderdale, Wingo is a dependable veteran with 17 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 2023. Sophomore Jaden Robinson is a player with untapped potential who mainly played on special teams a year ago. He could bolster the unit by showing he's ready to step into a more significant role. Veterans R.J. Moten and Deuce Spurlock II are depth pieces following the departures of Teradja Mitchell, Scooby Williams and Mannie Nunnery from last year's squad. As for newcomers, South Carolina transfer Grayson Howard has stood out since he arrived in the spring. Howard is a Florida native who grew up in Jacksonville and starred at Andrew Jackson High before signing with the Gamecocks. He finished with 19 tackles as a true freshman and transferred to Florida in the spring. Two of Florida's most talented members of the 2024 signing class are linebackers Myles Graham and Aaron Chiles (see below).
Grayson Howard joins the Gators from South Carolina, where he recorded 19 tackles as a true freshman last season. (Photo: Ashley Ray/UAA Communications)
If season started today: James and Howard figure to get the most reps, with Wingo, Robinson, Moten and Spurlock spelling them when needed. James is the leader and the player the Gators need to stay on the field as the quarterback of the defense.
Speculation: Roberts spoke highly of Graham and Chiles when camp started and expected both to become solid players. How much they will play right away remains unknown. There is no denying they arrived at UF with solid credentials. Graham, the son of former Gators running back Ernest Graham, was ranked the 114th top prospect in the country according to 247Sports and Chiles No. 96. That is a nice dose of talent for a unit that needed replenishing. Graham plays inside and low to the ground, a substantial roadblock for ballcarriers running between the tackles. Meanwhile, Chiles is more suited to play SAM linebacker and can be used in coverage. He is coming off a season in which he was named MaxPreps Maryland High School Player of the Year. Chiles had seven sacks and 12 tackles for loss in nine games a season ago for Our Lady of Good Counsel High.
Quote of Note: "I think the coolest part that I love about Coach Roberts is he understands that each player learns differently. I think that's huge. When you have guys that come from all these different places, different transfers, guys that are coming in at 18 years old versus different defensive schemes, it's good when you have a coach that can break it down in so many different ways that it's understood. The whole idea is to get all 11 guys on the same page and to do things the right way. I think that's what Coach Roberts has done for us." — Linebacker Derek Wingo on first-year assistant Ron Roberts
