Projecting Florida's 2023 Secondary Depth Chart
Photo: RJ Moten; Credit: Zach Goodall
Corey Raymond's offseason promotion from cornerbacks coach to overseeing Florida's entire secondary was far from the only change the unit experienced before the 2023 campaign.
Now under the direction of one coach, with assistance from new defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong, the re-tooled group aims to improve its standing from a year ago when it contributed to UF's 235.8 passing yards per game allowed, which ranked No. 84 in the FBS.
It will strive for this goal with a mix of returning veterans and plenty of fresh faces contributing to the backend of the Gators' defense.
All Gators projects Florida's secondary depth chart with breakdowns of each position entering the 2023 season, and lists our other positional predictions to date, below.
Cornerbacks
Starters: Jason Marshall Jr., Jalen Kimber
We've placed an emphasis on the relatively few incumbent starters for Florida entering 2023 throughout this series. Of that group, junior Jason Marshall Jr. returns as one of UF's most dependable players over the past two years, having made 26 appearances and 19 starts.
Although he hasn't necessarily been a ball-hawk to this point in his career with two interceptions and 13 pass breakups, Marshall has been solid as they come in terms of forcing incompletions. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound boundary corner has been targeted in coverage 86 times and allowed just 41 receptions (47.7%) per Pro Football Focus.
Defensive backs coach Corey Raymond complimented the "professional" approach Marshall has taken ahead of his third season with the Gators during spring training camp. Marshall expanded on what his approach entailed at SEC Media Days on July 19.
“Just being more prepared with everything. Watching a little bit more film, maybe it’s getting my body right, recovery, eating right. Things like that. Stretching," Marshall described. "It’s a lot of things that, you know, go into that, but other than that, just being a pro, that’s an everyday thing.”
The spot opposite Marshall was contested throughout the offseason, with redshirt junior Jalen Kimber and sophomore Devin Moore battling for the right to start. But Moore dealt with an upper-body injury throughout camp that caused him to miss six practices earlier this month, providing Kimber an edge relative to first-team reps.
Kimber, 6-foot, 185 pounds, transferred to Florida from Georgia in 2022, leaving the Bulldogs after a shoulder injury derailed his redshirt freshman season. And, although he was able to play through it, Kimber broke his hand early in his first campaign with the Gators a year ago.
Despite sporting a bulky cast on his left hand, Kimber memorably recorded a pick-six in Florida's 31-28, Week 3 victory over USF. He finished the season with 13 tackles and two pass breakups in addition to the interception.
“Jalen’s been steady. Jalen’s done a good job keeping the ball in front of him. He's more physical," Napier said on Aug. 11. "This was just really his first complete offseason. He gained significant lean mass. So we're very pleased with Kimber."
Key backups: Devin Moore, Ja'Keem Jackson, Dijon Johnson
While Moore might be on the outside-looking-in on a starting role due to his camp injury, he is certain to factor into Florida's cornerback rotation greatly after a promising, albeit limited, rookie season.
The year was cut short by a shoulder injury that required surgery, but before going down, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Moore made a rather immediate impact as a freshman. He made six tackles in five games, and while he allowed seven completions on 11 targets, he gave up only 79 yards receiving in coverage, per PFF.
Moore is a stated proponent of the competition, suggesting that he expects Florida's cornerbacks to rotate thoroughly in 2023 as a bevy of players have put the work in to earn snaps.
“I feel like having that competition in the room just boosts us tremendously," Moore said on Aug. 3. "Everybody is working hard day in and day out. And in the cornerback room, we actually have a motto that we kind of live by. It’s, ‘Everybody eats as long as you take care of your business and coaches can trust you.’ So as long as you just take care of your business, you’ll get your opportunity.”
Two freshmen are poised to "eat" in 2023, as well.
Two of Florida's consensus highest-rated recruits from the 2023 cycle were cornerbacks Ja'Keem Jackson and Dijon Johnson. Both have earned significant praise from teammates and coaches for their performances since their respective winter and summer enrollments.
Of note, Johnson intercepted two passes in his first practice with the team on Aug. 1.
Jackson — who snagged one of his own in the second team scrimmage — "has a chance to be special" in the opinion of Raymond despite his newness to the position as a former receiver, thanks to the athleticism he's displayed on both sides of the ball and his accelerated understanding of the fundamentals of playing cornerback.
Asked about young players who have made a surprising jump, Napier pointed to Jackson for having made "significant progress" throughout fall camp on Aug. 19.
Both Jackson, 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, and Johnson, 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, earned compliments from Napier for their performance in the team's first scrimmage on Aug. 10.
"They were both really impressive in the scrimmage," Napier said the next day. "I think those guys, you know, they’ll be a factor in lots of parts of our teams, special teams in particular.”
Reserves: Ethan Pouncey, Aaron Gates
The cousin of former All-SEC Florida offensive linemen Maurkice and Mike Pouncey and the brother of recent former Gators receiver Jordan Pouncey, Ethan Pouncey returns for his fourth season with UF as a redshirt sophomore aiming to break through.
Pouncey, 6-foot-1, 170 pounds, has been buried in Florida's cornerback depth over the years. Upon arrival at UF, he underwent hip surgery that ended his freshman campaign before it began.
After being cleared from the procedure, Pouncey emerged as a special teamer and infrequent secondary contributor in 2021, appearing in 11 games total. However, he tallied just as many defensive snaps, 11, in 2022, and took the field in only three contests. In total, he has recorded six tackles in his career.
Freshman Aaron Gates, meanwhile, will look to emerge once he gains full comfort within the Gators' defensive system.
Napier suggested on Aug. 7 that Gates is "a little bit behind" as he continued to nurse a knee injury suffered during his senior year of high school, but noted that the freshman is "making progress" in his recovery.
Gates was eventually elevated to full participation in fall practice, but considering his offseason time missed and the depth of his position, it wouldn't be surprising if he redshirts his freshman year before taking on a bigger role in 2024.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Gates posted 59 tackles and six interceptions defensively at Sharpsburg (Ga.) Trinity Christian, and caught an additional 95 passes for 1,525 yards and 15 touchdowns on offense.
STAR nickel cornerback
Starter: Jaydon Hill
Like Marshall, redshirt junior Jaydon Hill returns as a starter in Florida's secondary in 2023. However, he has shifted inside to STAR nickel corner after spending the past four years outside at field cornerback.
"That’s a twitchy guy inside that can blitz, that can do stuff to cover inside the slot man to man. It fits his body style," Raymond said of Hill on March 21. "It's gonna fit him and I think he’s going to prosper at that position.”
Hill took on a rather immediate playing role when he joined the Gators in 2019 and started five games for the team in 2020. He missed the 2021 campaign and four games in 2022 due to a major knee injury, however, he immediately reclaimed first-team duties upon his return to play last October.
In his second game back, against Missouri, Hill recorded two interceptions including one returned for a touchdown.
To date, Hill has accumulated 49 total tackles, two interceptions, 14 pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
Key backups: Jadarrius Perkins, Sharif Denson
A veteran and a rookie are set to back Hill up at STAR, with senior Jadarrius Perkins and freshman Sharif Denson pushing for playing time of their own.
A former junior college cornerback, Perkins transferred to UF ahead of the 2021 season and has manned a rotational role across the backend of the defense ever since. The 6-foot, 190-pound defensive back has recorded 39 tackles with three for loss, an interception and three pass breakups in 2022 appearances.
"That guy understands the game, he plays hard," Gators defensive lineman Tyreak Sapp said about Perkins on Aug. 9. "He's working to improve every day and he's improved from last season into the spring and coming into this fall. You're gonna see a big jump for him."
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Denson has impressed in his adjustment to playing in the slot on a full-time basis after primarily aligning outside during his high school career. He won't be rushed into action as a freshman with veterans ahead of him at the position, but the idea of early playing time shouldn't be ruled out either.
Denson was credited with 146 total tackles with seven for loss, four interceptions and two forced fumbles at Jacksonville (Fla.) Bartram Trail.
Safeties
Starters: RJ Moten, Miguel Mitchell
The Gators restructured the safety room in 2023 following the departures of Trey Dean III and Rashad Torrence. It became a young group led by one veteran transfer.
At the top of the pecking order is junior Michigan transfer RJ Moten.
Proving to be a positionally and schematically versatile asset for the Wolverines during the 2021 and 2022 seasons in Ann Arbor — occupying snaps at deep safety, box safety, on the end and — Moten produced 66 tackles, 1.5 sacks, four pass breakups and one interception.
He’s since slotted in as an expected starter at safety, at least to begin the year, for UF. Fellow defensive back Kimber spoke positively about his experience and presence on Aug. 9.
“Great IQ. I know RJ since high school, not really personally, but we played on the same All-American team," Kimber said when asked about the Michigan transfer I’ve been on him for quite some time and RJ’s really smart, really instinctive, he knows the defense and I feel like he’s really come a long way and added a great piece to our defense.”
However, Moten's responsibilities expand beyond his individual performance in Florida's defense. The unit's orimary communicator resides in the secondary of Austin Armstrong's defense, given the bird's eye view the safeties receive as the last level of defense.
Moten will control the reigns.
“Great communicator, Kimber continued when asked about his impact in that area. "RJ is really smart, like even when I’m on the field RJ is like, it’s like clockwork, it’s not too much wasted motion, not too much wasted communication, everything is pretty sharp and precise with RJ.
"I feel he’s a great piece to our defense,” he reiterated.
Miguel Mitchell, on the other hand, returns for his second year after a drastic uptick in usage to end his true freshman campaign.
Considered a project take in Napier’s transition class, Mitchell exceeded expectations to command a rotational role at safety while serving at STAR in heavy personnel packages.
After recording 15 tackles and one forced fumble in a situational backup role, Mitchell anticipates building on the frosh season to help ignite the secondary’s resurgence in 2023.
“Just stepping in and taking that role, taking over what I learned as a freshman and bringing it into the sophomore year,” he said in March. “I’m excited to see what I can do.”
Key backups: Jordan Castell, Kamari Wilson
Despite Moten and Mitchell's standing as starters at this point, true freshman Jordan Castell is nipping at their heels to take over one of their spots.
Castell pledged himself to the Gators as a four-star recruit out of West Orange (Orlando, Fla.) High School during the 2023 cycle. Possessing an impressive mix of long limbs and swift movement, the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder is aligned as the team’s future in the backend.
Not only has he continued to show strengths in man-to-man coverage and as a two-high safety, but his growing aptitude to command one-high looks can fill a void in skill Florida’s dealt with for several seasons.
His production in practice confirms his high ceiling while creating buzz for his potential ascension into the starting lineup as the year rolls on.
"Jordan is a really smart player," Napier said about Castell on Friday. "He's instinctive. I think Jordan has always been—you go to Jordan's school, I think he's well-respected there. His character, he's a good teammate, and he was a leader on his team. Jordan has been a worker.
"He's in the building. He's doing extra meetings. He's trying to get up to speed. He's got height and length. He's got traits for that position. I think he's a guy that—he's proved to be very productive in a practice setting. The game is a whole new world, and I think his growth throughout the season, he's only going to continue to get better."
Castell is joined by former highly touted safety recruit Kamari Wilson, who will also perform in a voluminous role in Florida's consistent four-man cycle on the backend.
While he endured bumps in the road in year one – presenting concerns for his straight-line speed as a coverage man – Wilson showcased immense potential as a box safety working downhill as a hard-hitting run defender.
He began to confound some of the concerns throughout the offseason with notable fluidity in his movement in individual drills during the allotted media viewing sessions in fall camp.
Wilson concluded his freshman campaign with 39 tackles, 1.5 for loss, one pass breakup and one forced fumble.
Reserves: Bryce Thornton
Alongside Castell as a true freshman in the Gators safety group is College Park, Ga., product Bryce Thornton.
Despite his undersized stature at 5-foot-10, 205 pounds, Thornton displayed elite athleticism to intrigue Florida and Alabama during his recruitment process.
The Gators earned his pledge in the end, obtaining a high-upside prospect to bolster the third level of the defense.
He’s proven to be the ball-hawking talent they bargained for in practice settings as an early enrollee in the spring.
Thornton will continue to take time to acclimate to the collegiate game in the meantime, but his path to the field is set to grow increasingly wide as the season progresses.
Previous Gators 2023 Depth Chart Projections
- Quarterback
- Running back
- Wide receiver
- Tight end
- Offensive line
- Defensive line and Edge rushers
- Linebackers
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