Projecting Florida's 2023 Linebacker Depth Chart
Ventrell Miller and Amari Burney are gone to the NFL.
Accordingly, the Gators' linebacker corps underwent drastic retooling efforts to adjust the top of the room while repairing the depth it lost in the early offseason.
The emphasis placed on re-equipping the position with talent didn't headline Florida's portal efforts, flying under the radar despite acquiring more players than any other position through that medium.
Bringing in three transfers and one high school recruit to join a promising young talent and two potentially late-blooming upperclassmen, Jay Bateman's off-ball linebacker spot is simultaneously intriguing and difficult to gauge, even at this stage.
Which players are slated to operate in starting, backup and reserve roles for the linebacker unit?
All Gators' projects Florida's linebacker depth chart entering the 2023 season, and lists our other positional predictions to date, below.
Starters: Shemar James, Derek Wingo OR Teradja Mitchell
After serving in a key reserve role with four starts as a true freshman, Alabama native Shemar James steps into the forefront of the Gators' defense to assume the reins of Burney's former weakside linebacker position. He's undeniably the top player at the spot this season and arguably the most talented defender the Gators have on the roster for the 2023 season.
Bursting onto the scene as a freshman, James showcased the multifaceted skillset and athleticism he consistently brings to the second level throughout the year.
James was an exception in a defense that ranked close to the bottom of college football in missed tackles, proving to be a surefire tackler for the Gators as he was credited with just three missed tackles in his frosh campaign.
As a result, there are high hopes for his year two performance from the coaching staff.
"Shemar played about 400 snaps last year. That's a lot for true freshmen," Bateman said about James this spring. "This is his first spring practice because he wasn't he wasn't a mid-year enrollee last year. Shemar's really, really talented.
"The thing I love about him is if I say something to him or Coach Armstrong says something to him, it gets applied the next day. He's got a really high ceiling. He's going to play a bunch of football here and he's going to be a really good player."
Alongside James, two men jockey for the starting title and will likely continue to as the season rolls on.
Derek Wingo, the longest-tenured off-ball linebacker on Florida's roster, has found his legs beneath him after a rocky start to his collegiate career. Forced to acclimate himself to the off-ball linebacker spot after playing primarily off the edge for St. Thomas Aquinas, so he struggled to show the progression needed to see the field early in his career.
Despite seeing time sparingly through the first two and half seasons in Gainesville, the Fort Lauderdale native began to crack the rotation late in the 2022 campaign, showcasing the play recognition, reaction time and tackling ability he previously lacked. He finished the year with 24 tackles and two sacks.
As a result, Wingo is slated to command a prominent role in the unit after recovering from a significant shoulder injury and a minor foot injury this offseason. He's also been thrust into a leadership position within the locker room.
However, despite his newfound high expectations for his contribution, Ohio State transfer Teradja Mitchell also vies to take over starting duties.
Showcasing a robust run-defending prowess with the knack for working downhill to stifle ball carriers, Mitchell helps patch the gaping hole created by the loss of Miller — a third-round NFL Draft pick in the 2023 selection process.
He accounted for 63 tackles, seven sacks and one pass breakup during his Buckeyes career, a College Football Playoff appearance, two games with double-digit tackles to begin his fourth and a co-captain title for OSU in 2021. Then, the Virginia Beach, Va., native played in just four games a year ago due to a hamstring injury.
Entering the portal following the Ohio State's season, Mitchell began a priority target for UF as they attempted to retool the position. With help from former Gators head coach Urban Meyer, who recruited him to the Buckeyes as a high school prospect, he transferred to Florida.
Mitchell fills the void of experience and leadership in the room following the aforementioned losses of sixth-year senior Miller and fifth-year senior from the linebacker corps as a result.
Ultimately, no matter who earns the official starting title, the rotation will be aplenty as Wingo and Mitchell operate at a near-equal volume at the team's middle linebacker spot.
Key Backups: Scooby Williams, Mannie Nunnery
Wingo and Mitchell are contending for early down reps as starters at middle linebacker for Florida.
But, there is a growing buzz surrounding redshirt sophomore Scooby Williams' contributions as a late-down defender in passing scenarios, given his presence as a pass rusher in the creeper scheme defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong operates and his athleticism as a potential coverage man.
Similarly to Wingo, Williams struggled initially to transition to the off-ball linebacker spot in his first few seasons with the program after performing as an edge rusher in high school.
But, the light bulb has seemingly turned on as he's received praise for his production in practice this offseason and is considered an asset the Gators want to utilize in 2023.
"The guy that's jumping out right now is Scooby Williams," Bateman said on April 4. "Scooby is a really unique player. At the end of the season, we were doing some pretty creative things with him. He has a chance to be really good."
As a result, he's expected to be a frequent face in the linebacker rotation for Florida, serving at both spots in relief of Wingo, Mitchell and James at a consistent rate.
Mannie Nunnery is also in line to see time, albeit not as big of a role as Williams, for the Gators as they look to utilize a healthy rotation of pieces based on scenario.
Nunnery, since coming over from Houston this offseason, has earned praise as a long and athletic linebacker piece who could serve as Florida's best asset in coverage among the group. While with the Cougars, Nunnery accounted for two pass breakups on top of 81 tackles, eight for loss, 3.5 sacks and one forced fumble in 25 outings.
His potential as a pass-down linebacker will be his path to the field in 2023, excluding the expected special teams ace role he was brought in to fill as a former National Special Teams Player of the Year Award winner in 2021.
Reserves: Deuce Spurlock II, Jaden Robinson
The reserve unit comprises redshirt freshman Deuce Spurlock II — a transfer from Michigan — and true freshman Jaden Robinson.
Rated as a three-star prospect out of high school, Spurlock was pursued by several Power Five programs as a high-upside piece for the position. Initially, he committed, signed and enrolled at Michigan.
However, his time in Ann Arbor was short-lived, seeing action in just one game for the Wolverines, where he accounted for three tackles. After a year developing in one of the best defenses in the country, Spurlock hit the portal with the desire to find his way onto the field elsewhere.
The Gators — with spots to fill at the position — capitalized on the rapport the staff built with Spurlock when they recruited him at Louisiana Lafayette to secure his talents.
However, Spurlock remains in the developmental stages of his career, suggesting a lack of snaps in his first year with the team.
Beside Spurlock in the reserve category is Robinson.
Hailing from Lake City, Fla., the 6-foot, 230-pound backer showcased elite-level intangibles and athleticism while performing as one of the most productive second-level defenders in Florida High School Football as a junior and senior. He accounted for 94 tackles, three interceptions, one forced fumble and one sack in his farewell campaign).
Possessing the traits required to succeed in the SEC, the Gators made a concerted push for a talent they viewed as undervalued despite evident signs of needing development from a fundament standpoint. He's been placed on that track since he arrived on campus, taking promising steps toward becoming an eventual contributor at Florida's weakside linebacker role.
"Jaden Robinson's a freshman who's got a lot of potential and has some real skills," Bateman said. "He's going from being kind of an edge player, blitzer. As a junior, he played everything to kind of more of a defined role and he's still learning some of that, but he's going to be a good player for us."
Napier furthered that assertion on Aug. 19 when asked about the acclimation of young talent.
"I think Jaden Robinson has had a really good game," Napier said.
However, given the pieces in front of him and the time needed to bring him up to speed, Robinson will likely take the 2023 season to redshirt or serve as a special teamer.
Previous Gators 2023 Depth Chart Projections
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