Looking Back On, and Forward To, Florida's JACK Edge Rushers
Photo: Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr.; Credit: Alex Shepherd
The Gators are entering a crucial offseason, the second of head coach Billy Napier's tenure, looking to turn things around after Florida posted its second consecutive 6-7 record to conclude the 2022 campaign.
After nearly two dozen scholarship players entered the transfer portal and another ten declared for the NFL Draft, the roster will undoubtedly look a lot different in Napier's second year at the helm.
Therefore, All Gators is breaking down every position on Florida's roster as the offseason gets underway, looking back on every contributor's 2022 season and looking forward to each unit's 2023.
We've examined the past and future of the offense with quarterback, running back and wide receiver, tight end and offensive line breakdowns. On Thursday, the defensive overlook began with the defensive line.
Now, it's time to look at the JACK edge rusher position, more commonly known as outside linebackers.
Looking back
The edge rusher position produced an eventful storyline in 2022. Not only did its name change from BUCK to JACK under the new staff, but the depth chart experienced a drastic shakeup midway through the year.
Brenton Cox Jr. — who controlled the spot with an iron fist in the 2020 and 2021 seasons — returned to the fold to give the Gators the luxury of talent and a history of production at one of the most essential spots in any defensive system.
However, eight games into 2022, Cox was dismissed from the team for disciplinary reasons, All Gators learned, after a meeting with the Georgia Bulldogs, the team Cox began his collegiate career with.
Napier described the ousting as the result of a “cumulative effect” rather than an isolated incident.
"Brenton, we've kind of decided to move on here," Napier confirmed on the Monday following the Gators' 42-20 loss in Jacksonville. "I think that being a football player at the University of Florida is a privilege [and] there are certainly expectations that come with that. Obviously, he's done a lot of good things for the University of Florida and we wish him the best."
He declared for the 2023 NFL Draft soon thereafter.
Cox’s former backup Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. took over full-time starting duties for the rest of the season. In his first contest, the third-year sophomore made a substantial impact with three tackles — two of which for loss — one sack and one forced fumble.
He continued operating at a high level throughout the rest of the season as he received the bulk of the snaps. Lloyd Summerall III took over the No. 2 spot in the rotation.
Depth players included Jack Pyrburn, David Reese and Chief Borders, who saw time sparingly with rare appearances during meaningful moments on defense. Freshman walk-on Bryce Capers also earned a small handful of defensive snaps in three games.
Below, All Gators has compiled the edge rushers' stats from 2022.
Cox (eight games): 35 tackles, eight TFLs, two sacks, nine quarterback hurries, one pass defended
Powell-Ryland Jr.: 29 tackles, six TFLs, three sacks, four quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles, one pass defended
Summerall: Six tackles, 0.5 sacks, one fumble recovery
Pyburn: Three tackles
Reese: Two tackles
Borders: Two tackles
Looking forward
The Gators' edge rusher spot has changed drastically from this time last year.
Cox is, obviously, no longer a part of the team following his midseason dismissal. In addition, Summerall, Reese and Borders all transferred out of the program.
That begs the question: What will the room look like next season?
Well, Florida does return its incumbent starter to end the season in Powell-Ryalnd, providing a form of ibuprofen for the headache that the immense turnover can create. He will continue to occupy a substantial role off the edge, looking to build off a breakout campaign that included three sacks and six tackles for loss. His playmaking ability to force the ball free of ball carriers is also an aspect of
Pyburn joins Powell-Ryland in coach Mike Peterson's OLB unit for next season as the lone returning depth piece to carry over from 2022 to 2023.
Despite appearing in eight games as a true freshman, the majority of his experience at the collegiate level comes as a special teamer. When performing at the prep level at Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.), Pyburn showcased his acceleration off the ball to wreak havoc in opposing backfields.
The strongest area of his game came as a run-stuffer, frequently stoning ball carriers in the hole and finishing tackles with a noticeable mean streak. Pyburn accounted for 109 tackles and 32 tackles for loss in 2021.
However, he still found success creating pressure on opposing passers, tallying 14 sacks in his senior year of high school.
His 6-foot-3, 263-pound frame initially created expectations for him to take on a strong side defensive end role, spending time behind Princely Umanmielen and Co., but he's found a home at JACK amid opportunity.
The expected third man in the rotation, T.J. Searcy joins the fold as an athletic, high-potential piece with the ability to carve out a niche with proper progression as an early enrollee.
"Probably one of the freakier dudes in the group," Napier said about the Thomaston, Ga., native on Early Signing Day in December. "Six-foot-5 and a quarter, 250 pounds-plus, probably 260 now. This guy played tight end, outside linebacker as a junior, played more of a 4-3 end as a senior. Unique movements for this size now and a very disruptive player."
However, even if Searcy makes the necessary steps to contribute immediately, that still leaves Florida with just three OLBs for the future compared to the six the roster held in 2022.
As a result, to bolster the thin unit, Napier shared the staff's intentions to remain pertinent in its efforts to reel in another edge rusher via the transfer portal post-spring. That will bring the unit the depth it yearns for behind Powell-Ryland.
The new addition would likely jump Pyburn and Searcy to serve as the No. 2 in the room given the coveted experience the staff will likely require in their search for a viable portal prospect.
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