Gators Edge Earns Program's Highest Defensive PFF Grade Since 2019

The senior edge rusher led Florida in sacks and tackles for loss last season

Florida Gators edge Tyreak Sapp had himself a noteworthy redshirt junior season / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Florida Gators edge rusher Tyreak Sapp had himself a big year. After leading the team in sacks (7) and tackles-for-loss (13) Florida’s defense would greatly benefit from their top pass-rusher returning. Sapp finished the season as Florida’s highest-graded defender (90.0) since 2019 (Jonathan Greenard, 90.5), according to PFF.

Grading the #Gators: Best and worst on defense in 2024.

Tyreak Sapp posted the highest PFF grade by a Florida defender since 2019.

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On three separate occasions, the 6-foot-2, 272-pound edge rusher was Florida’s highest graded player (No.21 LSU, UCF, FSU). 

Florida Gators highest-graded defensive players vs FSU per PFF (10 snap minimum):

DE Tyreak Sapp - 85.0
EDGE TJ Searcy - 79.6
DB Trikweze Bridges - 79.2
DT Cam Jackson - 77.5
DT D’Antre Robinson - 77.1
LB Myles Graham - 75.9
LB Shemar James - 72.5
S Jordan Castell - 70.7
LB…

— Brandon Olsen (@WNS_Brandon) December 1, 2024

Besides leading the team in sacks and tackles-for-loss, he was also tied for the team lead in forced fumbles (2). 

Sapp’s PFF grade wasn’t just impressive among other former Gators, it was the 9th best grade among any FBS edge defender this season.

With seven sacks and 13 tackles-for-loss for the season, he ranked among the top ten in the SEC in each statistic. 

During Florida’s 33-8 win over Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl, Sapp finished the game tied for third on the team in tackles. 

The Ft. Lauderdale native has spent four seasons in Gainesville, where he has totaled 87 total tackles, nine sacks and eighteen tackles for loss throughout his college career. 

While several upperclassmen have declared for the 2025 NFL Draft since the end of the regular season, one key defensive player is yet to reveal his plans for the future.

Earlier in the month, Sapp revealed that he was not quite ready to make a decision yet.  

Fellow redshirt junior Caleb Banks already announcing that he will be returning next season. Should Sapp return along side Banks, he would help Florida continue to establish a veteran presence on the defensive side of the ball.