Florida Gators Depth Chart Predictions/Position Previews: EDGE

Despite defections, the Florida Gators edge rusher room is deeper and more talented than 2023.

T.J. Searcy leads an edge rusher room that is deeper than it was a year ago. / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

With the Florida Gators 2024 fall camp concluded and attention turned to the season-opener against Miami, it’s time to take a look at the Gators’ depth chart.

Gators Illustrated gives its official prediction and a breakdown for each position. After previously analyzing the offense, next up is the defense, which begins with the EDGE room. 

Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

Offensive Line

JACK Linebacker

Starter: TJ Searcy

Backups: George Gumbs, Kamran James, Jack Pyburn

Reserves (*denotes walk-on): Ja’Markis Weston, Bryce Capers*, Layne Swafford*, Quincy Ivory, Charles Emmanuel III*, Titus Bullard*, Tyreik Norwood*

“F” End

Starter: Justus Boone OR Tyreak Sapp

Backups: LJ McCray, Kamran James, Jack Pyburn

Reserves (*denote walk-on): Ja’Markis Weston, Quincy Ivory, Bryce Capers*, Layne Swafford*, Charles Emmanuel III*, Titus Bullard*, Tyreik Norwood*

Position Outlook

It doesn’t take much research to see that the EDGE group this year is deeper than previous years, and there’s a higher level of competition. A small group of veterans alongside 

“You just look at that edge group, for example. The number of players we think are capable of impacting our team in that room - that room right now is extremely competitive,” said UF head coach Billy Napier. “But I would tell you their practice habits have been impressive to watch. Part of that is they’re competing their tail off for the opportunity to go out and compete for the Gators.”

Last season was very hit-or-miss for the group. As a team, Florida recorded 22 sacks, which was 12th in the SEC. Eleven of those did come from the EDGE group, but with Princely Umanmielen gone to Ole Miss, that number drops to four. 

However, there’s plenty of young talent that has yet to truly break out. 

After being named to the All-SEC Freshman Team last season, TJ Searcy returns as the headliner of the JACK linebacker group. He recorded 26 tackles, 3.5 of which were for loss, as a rotational piece last season and now is expected to increase those numbers 

Behind Searcy, George Gumbs has quickly risen as a contender to playing time, after transferring prior to spring camp. A defensive end at Northern Illinois, Gumbs recorded 32 tackles and 3.5 sacks with seven starts on the year. 

Last season was his first on defense after beginning his career as a walk-on on the offensive side of the ball. 

Meanwhile, Jack Pyburn, who returns after a midseason ACL injury, and Kamran James will be consistent contributors in the rotation at both spots.

Florida’s “F” position, opposite of the JACK linebacker, boasts a dynamic duo of leadership in Justus Boone and Tyreak Sapp, to the point where there may not be a clear-cut starter but a true rotation. 

For Sapp, not only has this offseason been about continuing to develop his own game, but carrying and uplifting the players around him.

“I understand, not so much from a mentality standpoint, but you can climax in your potential. Not saying I have, but I’ve just been working on trying to bring anybody else up,” Sapp said. “I understand we’re only as strong as our weakest link, so I need everybody to be with me. I know I’m going to train. I know when the ship leaves the dock, I’m on the ship. I just want everybody else to be on the ship.”

Boone, who returns for his first in-game action since 2022, provides much-needed leadership that the Gators missed last season. 

“I think Boone has been one of the best leaders we’ve had,” Napier said. “Losing him last year was a big deal, not only because of his production on the field and the depth issue there but also just his passion, his ability to affect people.”

Behind the two is five-star freshman LJ McCray, who’s already impressing his veteran teammates despite being new to the scene. 

“LJ is just so raw,” Sapp said. “Sometimes he gets out of himself because, you know, it’s college football so everything is schematic and everything has to fall into place. Sometimes he gets caught up because he’s a natural freak. He doesn’t need a scheme to actually affect the game. He can affect the game just by him being him.”

With Sapp and Boone as “1A” and “1B,” McCray is the clearcut “B” in the rotation and should see the field early and often with the aforementioned James and Pyburn dipping into the rotation. 

There was a lot to be desired from the room in 2023, not only from pure sack totals but also their overall ability to affect the quarterback. The Gators only recorded three interceptions last season and will also rely on the EDGE room to improve on those numbers. 

“So your ability to affect a quarterback, where it's not just sacking him, but it's hitting him, it's getting close to him, it's making him rush throws, it's making him throw before he's ready to throw, it's making him throw the ball in tight windows…,” said co-defensive coordinator Ron Roberts. “I think we've got really good edge rushers. I think we've got talent in that room. I think we should be able to affect him with four, but if we can't affect him with four, we've got to bring in somebody else.” 

Overall, with the right amount of veteran leadership to go with the young talent, this room is poised to be much better and much deeper in 2024. As always, they’ll have to prove it on the field beginning on Saturday.