How Will the Gators Replace Brenton Cox at JACK Edge Rusher?

Following the dismissal of Edge rusher Brenton Cox Jr., Who on the Gator's defense can step up and fill the gap in the pass rush unit?

Photo: Antwuan Powell-Ryland Jr.; Credit: Alex Shepherd

Following Florida's shocking dismissal of edge rusher Brenton Cox Jr., the Gators are now without their leader in quarterback pressures this season (20, per Pro Football Focus). Fortunately for UF, there are a few candidates to fill the gap at JACK edge rusher and reap the benefits for themselves.

"We've been playing a handful of players in that position the entire year," head coach Billy Napier noted on Monday after Cox's dismissal. 

The most considerable heir to Cox's riches is linebacker Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr., someone Napier mentioned alongside Lloyd Summerall III. Powell-Ryland is now projected to sit atop the depth chart for the JACK position in the Gators' defense as he has manned the No. 2 role behind Cox throughout the year. 

He comes in with respectable figures, given his role so far this season.

Powell-Ryland enters Week 10 with seven total quarterback pressures (four quarterback hits and three quarterback hurries). Those four hits tie Powell-Ryland with Cox on fewer than half as many pass-rushing snaps, as Cox logged 182 through eight games compared to Powell-Ryland's 84. 

Despite his two percent lesser pass rush productivity rate than Cox on the year, Powell-Ryland has a 2.7 percent higher rate of physically affecting the quarterback in pass-rushing scenarios. With the increased field time and starting reps, Powell-Ryland has a chance to shoot up the Gators' defense in the major statistical categories and lead Florida's pass rush.

There's also a good chance some of those hits can be turned into more significant plays like sacks or incomplete passes, given the nature of how Powell-Ryland tends to generate pressure. 

Summerall hasn't fielded a significant role in rushing the passer this year or in his four-year UF career, although he's been a key contributor on special teams. He's compiled 40 pass-rushing snaps since 2019, albeit producing 1.5 sacks and three pressures along the way. 

Other potential benefactors of the sudden roster shake-up are defensive ends Princely Umanmielen and Justus Boone. Umanmielen is tied for third on the Gators' defense along with linebacker Ventrell Miller for quarterback pressures this season with 11, while Boone has tallied nine on 61 fewer pass-rushing opportunities.

Umanmielen currently owns the third-highest pass-rush rating on the team with a 75.8 on 139 pass-rushing snaps, only behind linebackers Amari Burney (91.0 grade on 39 snaps) and Shemar James (88.2 grade on 15 snaps). Umanmielen and Boone currently split duties at the defensive end opposite Gervon Dexter's spot, and their ability to affect the passer could lead to snaps at JACK, at least for one of them while the other steps up at defensive end. 

Having already been contributing a sizable chunk with two sacks and a career-high five tackles for loss, Umanmielen in particular has a golden opportunity to see increased reps and pass-rushing snaps for the rest of the season. There's a good chance he capitalizes on the task at hand. 

The Gators will have to put their head down and keep pushing on through the gauntlet of the season, shrugging off another disappointing loss to Georgia this past weekend and heading into College Station this weekend to take on Texas A&M. 

The JACK edge rushers and defensive ends will certainly have to take on the extra responsibility. The question is, will someone step up to lead the Gators' pass rush, or will replacing Cox's production be a collective effort?

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