Gators 2024 Positional Outlook: Linebacker

All Gators is reviewing, and previewing, each position on Florida's roster during the 2024 offseason. The linebacker corps is up next.

Photo: Gators linebacker Shemar James; Credit: Alex Shepherd

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The winds of attrition breezed through The Swamp again this winter, with Florida making 30 total scholarship roster additions and 21 subtractions via the NCAA transfer portal, along with several departing players heading toward the NFL Draft or their post-football careers.

All Gators is breaking down each position on Florida's roster as the team approaches spring training camp, reviewing the performances of each group in 2023 and previewing their makeup for the 2024 season.

Following our analyses of the quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, offensive line, interior defensive line and edge rusher groups, Florida's linebacker corps is next up on the slate.

If required, All Gators will revisit positions affected by the spring transfer portal window later this offseason. We will offer final depth chart projections during Florida's fall training camp in August. 

2023 Season in Review: Florida's Linebackers

The linebacker position opened the year as a considerable bright spot, but quickly grew sour like the overall defensive play.

Early in the year, the Gators seemingly found a fix to the woes that plagued the unit dating back to the 2020 campaign. Starters Shemar James and Scooby Williams highlighted an overall resurgence on defense through the first four weeks of the season, as the duo showcased impressive speed in pursuit and physicality at the point of attack against opposing ball carriers.

UF sported a drastically improved run defense as a result.

James and Williams accounted for 46 tackles and two sacks combined against Utah, McNeese State, Tennessee and Charlotte to help hold the offenses to 82.25 yards on the ground on average.

The short-lived defensive resurgence was led by the second level. Accordingly, as the linebacker play declined over the next several weeks, so did Florida's defensive performances statistically.

James' season-ending knee injury suffered against Georgia in Week 9 completely derailed the unit's output, catalyzing Florida's 38.2 points per game allowed down the stretch en route to an 0-5 finish to the 2023 campaign.

His hurt pushed the likes of graduate transfer Teradja Mitchell and junior Derek Wingo into heightened roles at MIKE while redshirt junior Mannie Nunnery continued to operate secondarily to Williams at WILL. True freshman Jaden Robinson saw snaps sparingly as well.

Each flashed varying strengths with the extra playing time late in the year but ultimately failed to fill the void James left behind. 

The Gators' slide continued. They finished the year No. 69 in total defense (382.2 yards per game allowed) and No. 79 against the run (155.6 yards per game allowed).

Despite missing the final four games, James finished second on the team in tackles (55) — behind true freshman safety Jordan Castell. Williams compiled the Gators' third-best mark with 52. 

Out and In

Scholarship players only

• Out: Scooby Williams (transferred to Texas A&M), Teradja Mitchell (graduation), Ja'Markis Weston (switched positions to EDGE)
• In: Grayson Howard (transferred from South Carolina), Myles Graham (freshman), Aaron Chiles (freshman)

Looking Forward

Florida's linebacker position heading into the 2024 season stops and starts in the same place it did in 2023, with the most integral piece to the defense, rising junior Shemar James.

The spot next to him is open for the taking. 

Scooby Williams followed former UF linebackers coach Jay Bateman to Texas A&M this offseason, opening a hole for newly named positional assistant Ron Roberts to fill.

However, after having to sift through a jumbled list of names to pinpoint his counterpart in the starting lineup a year ago, it’s apparent who will operate next to the talented middle linebacker this time.

James will be supported by 6-foot-4, 242-pound South Carolina transfer Grayson Howard — who accounted for 19 tackles as a rotational piece in the Gamecocks linebacker room during his true freshman season in 2023.

As the biggest splash landing of the winter transfer portal cycle following his 11th-hour entry, Howard has garnered high expectations for his role in elevating the Gators' struggling defense in 2024. He'll realize a significant increase in responsibility compared to his time at USC as he commands the starting weakside role for Florida.

The most impressive step forward for the linebacker corps heading into the upcoming campaign is the group's widespread talent and depth, as its fortitude spans beyond James and Howard.

Two uber-talent true freshmen are expected to be thrust into high-volume roles in their first collegiate campaign, and their output at the prep level suggests that they can handle the pressure.

Myles Graham, whose father, Earnest Graham, served as a running back for the Gators from 1998-2002, joins the fold following an impressive final high school campaign at Buchholz in Gainesville.

Thanks to his polished skillset working downhill, run-fit diagnosis ability and functional athleticism to pursue the ball sideline-to-sideline at an SEC level, he'll immediately contribute to the unit on and off the field. He projects to operate behind James in the middle linebacker role.

"Myles is ready to go," head coach Billy Napier said of the legacy prospect on Dec. 20. "He's physical. He's mature. Very smart player. And he's been very consistent and vocal, right? I think that's one of the reasons we were able to finish with a really good group is because of his leadership presence and the way he kind of carried the flag for this class.

"I think he's an exceptional football player, but this guy's a leader, man."

After an uptick in production to end 2023, notably showcasing improvement to post 11 tackles and a sack in the final four contests, Derek Wingo will expectedly compete with Graham to assume the backup role behind James.

Aaron Chiles will expectedly join Graham in the two-deep as the year progresses. However, his path to the field is a bit muddier considering his pending summertime enrollment at the University of Florida.

Like Graham, Chiles presents a college-ready build and evident high football IQ on tape. The promising attributes recommend the ability to quickly acclimate into a more than serviceable option behind Howard at the weakside linebacker spot.

Nunnery and Robinson will have the upper hand over Chiles to receive snaps to open the campaign, though, as they participate in spring practices.

But ultimately, the duo of frosh backers are expected to hit the ground running en route to becoming pillars of the defense beyond 2024.

Nunnery and Robinson will serve in complementary roles throughout the year, particularly when UF looks to deviate from its base two-linebacker personnel to field three or more second-level defenders at once — a role Williams firmly commanded last season.

Former Michigan transfer Deuce Spurlock II rests as extra depth at WILL.

Early 2024 Gators LB Depth Chart Projection

Middle Linebacker

Starter: Shemar James (Jr.)

Backup: Myles Graham (Fr.), Derek Wingo (Sr.)

Reserves: Justin Pelic* (r-Sr.)

Weakside linebacker

Starter: Grayson Howard (So.)

Backup: Mannie Nunnery (r-Sr.), Jaden Robinson (So.), Aaron Chiles (Fr.)

Reserves: Deuce Spurlock II (r-So.) 

Gators 2024 Positional Outlook: Quarterback

Gators 2024 Positional Outlook: Running Back

Gators 2024 Positional Outlook: Wide Receiver

Gators 2024 Positional Outlook: Tight End

Gators 2024 Positional Outlook: Offensive Line

Gators 2024 Positional Outlook: Interior Defensive Line

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