Projecting the Florida Gators 2020 Fall Camp LB Depth Chart

A very fluid situation at linebacker for the Florida Gators could get tricky, but what does the situation look like as we head into fall camp?

After what feels like the longest offseason in recent memory, the Florida Gators are set to kick off their fall football camp on Aug 17. The change from Aug. 7 stemmed from a change in direction by the SEC to delay camp for an extra week to give players the opportunity to become re-acclimated, safely.

Until then, we'll be projecting the Gators' depth chart, position by position to familiarize fans with the roster that head coach Dan Mullen and staff yield this year. We have already gone over the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive and defensive linemen.

Now, we take a look at the team's linebackers group, a unit with tons of potential, that could eventually become the team's strongest yet.

The Gators are entering a year replacing one of their leaders in David Reese II. Reece would be signed as an undrafted free agent with the Carolina Panthers immediately following the draft, paving the way for more playing time for the team's younger players in the middle of the defense.

The team's linebackers are broken up into two positions, MONEY (weak-side linebacker) and MIKE (middle linebacker), due to the Gators' scheme there isn't a traditional strong-side linebacker, that role essentially goes to the team's STAR (nickel defensive back), who will oftentimes act as an auxiliary player on defense, in coverage and in run defense.

This season the Gators' linebacker room is much more fluid than in years past. For four years Reece has held down the fort in the middle with a healthy rotation opposite of him. Now, they'll look to shape the depth chart with a lot of "new" faces.

Starters:

Two players are included in each set, the first player is the projected full-time starter at the position entering 2020, with the second player as a projected big-time role player who could earn starting reps if need be.

MONEY (weak-side linebacker):

James Houston IV (Redshirt Junior)

Just one season after appearing in all 13 games last season as a reserve linebacker, Houston is expected to take on a major role in the Gators' defense this year. Last season, Houston split repetitions with Miller at the team's MONEY position and tallied 38 tackles  (21 solos) and six tackles-for-loss.

Entering his redshirt junior season, Houston looks to make the most of what could be his final season as an athlete in college, which will be predicated based on how he plays this upcoming season. At MONEY Houston will be able to fly to the football as a sideline-to-sideline player.   

Ty'Ron Hopper (Redshirt Freshman)

Hopper is expected to take on a role at MONEY linebacker, after appearing in four games as a freshman, recording just one tackle and a .5 tackles-for-loss. Coming out of high school, Hopper was a highly-sought-after recruit, earning a consensus four stars and was thought of as the fourth-best outside linebacker in the nation.  

At 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, Hopper presents as a long, lean linebacker with plus coverage skills. An elite athlete, Hopper fits in exactly what linebackers coach Christian Robinson is looking for at his position. Since the linebacker depth chart is so fluid, don't be surprised if Hopper takes plenty of time away from Houston depending on how the season plays out.

MIKE (middle linebacker)

Ventrell Miller (Redshirt Junior)

Miller started 11 games last season alongside Reece. With Reece now out of the picture, Miller is in a good position to slide right in, likely starting for the Gators this season at MIKE as a redshirt junior.

Last season, Miller was a force on defense, finishing the season with the second-most tackles (55) and was one of eight Gators to finish with at least three sacks. 2019 was Miller's first year starting, previously in 2018, he appeared in all 13 games as a reserve and key special teams player totaling 15 tackles, two tackles-for-loss one sack and one interception.

Lacedrick Brunson (Redshirt Junior)

While Miller is the team's projected starter at MIKE, Brunson, a redshirt junior is also expected to play a role on defense and could take over if Miller struggles. At 6-foot-1, 229 pounds, Brunson has the size to take on offensive linemen and fly to the football.

As a key member of the team's defense, don't be surprised to see Brunson take on an extended role this season even with Miller starting. Last season, Brunson accumulated 22 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack. 

Reserves:

Amari Burney (Junior)

Burney is a very intriguing player for the Gators, seeing time at multiple positions last season. While he is likely to compete primarily at STAR after, he has the length, at 6-foot-2, 224 pounds to play MONEY in Todd Grantham's scheme.

Last season, Burney appeared in eight games at both linebacker and STAR, tallying 37 tackles, .5 tackles-for-loss and recorded his first career interception and a fumble recovery against Tennessee.

Burney will likely see plenty of time this season at both positions, however, look for him to focus heavily at the STAR position, potentially as the team's starter there, which will be dependent on the team's depth at cornerback and Marco Wilson's placement in the starting lineup.   

Mohamoud Diabate (Sophomore)

A sophomore this season, Diabate showed the Gators' coaching staff plenty of promise last season as a true freshman. His bend and get off were evident as was his athleticism. Diabate played primarily at the team's BUCK position, which is essentially an on-ball outside linebacker position, or weak-side defensive end.

At 6-foot-2, 213 pounds, Diabate appeared in all 13 games last season and started one game due to an injury at the position. He was credited with 14 defensive stops, 4.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks and three quarterback hurries. Diabate is one of the team's rising-star players and they'll look to get him on the field as much as possible.

As a result, head coach Dan Mullen expects Diabate to potentially play the team's MIKE linebacker position at points in camp, presenting the new-look Gators defense in full force as the team attempts to get faster at the position.

Derek Wingo (Freshman)

As a true freshman, Wingo is already starting to impress coaches, which is a great sign for his role moving forward with the team after being recruited out of St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla) during the 2020 recruiting cycle.

Wingo, 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, projects as a MIKE linebacker in the team's defensive scheme, and could earn early playing time due to his athleticism and size as a freshman. Gators linebackers coach Christian Robinson lauded Wingo's talent and proactive nature during the team's offseason virtual meetings.

"The dude (Wingo) was making note cards at home," Robinson said on the Stadium and Gale podcast in July. "He's calling me in the middle of the evening, and I love it. I'm having to work. You know, I'm like, good this is what we want. But guys like him. I think you see that he's come so far. He's learned stuff that normally he'd be learning the first week in camp just because of what we're allowed to do."