Florida Gators 2020 Roster Outlook: Defensive Line
With the 2019 season now in the rear-view mirror, it's time to start dissecting the Florida Gators' roster as the team begins to prepare for the 2020 season.
Here at GatorMaven, we'll be evaluating each position on Florida's roster based on its 2019 performance, what the Gators have done in recruiting at the position so far, and what the early expectations are for each unit. Those expectations can change as the offseason goes on, but this is where the roster currently stands.
After previously taking you through the offensive side of the ball, as well as the BUCK rush end, it's time to cover the rest of the defensive line.
What Florida returns on the DL:
Kyree Campbell: After weighing his options on whether or not he would declare for the NFL Draft, the Gators were given a massive boost as they big man in the middle decided he would return for his senior season at UF.
In 2019, Campbell tallied the 5th most tackles on the team with 39, including 25 solo tackles. His disruptive nature in the rushing game is what makes Campbell such a valuable player for the Gators defense.
With his return, the defense gets a considerable boost in the transition that will be made after losing defensive linemen for 2020 and beyond, due to graduation.
Zachary Carter: A physical specimen at strong-side defensive end, Carter showed off some athleticism for his 6-4, 263-pound frame this past season.
Many saw Carter being a much more significant factor on defense before the season kicked off than he was when the games started. However, he filled in nicely for Jabari Zuniga at defensive end throughout the year, accumulating 4.5 sacks.
Carter still presents himself as a high-potential strong side defensive end who could earn full-time reps in 2020. With the vacated spot on the line that Zuniga has left behind, Carter looks to use this offseason to assert himself as the starter at that position.
Elijah Conliffe: After suffering an injury that kept him out of action the entire 2019 season, Conliffe looks to return to the field in high gear for his senior season.
Appearing in 11 games in 2018, Conliffe accounted for 13 tackles from the defensive tackle position. The former four-star commit from Hampton, Virginia, looks to reassert himself as a viable rotational piece in the trenches for Florida next season. He's got great size at 6-4, 312 lbs., and should become disruptive when fully healthy.
Marlon Dunlap Jr.: The former North Carolina Tar Heel transferred to Florida in the 2017 season under then-head coach Jim McElwain.
He has shown limited production in his time at Florida, which has led to a meager snap count and nearly pushed him off the field entirely. In 2019, he accounted for three tackles and one sack, numbers that don’t say much about who he is as a player.
Expect Dunlap to be a depth piece as he enters his senior season.
Jaelin Humphries: In 2019, Humphries only saw action once and recorded no meaningful statistic in that game.
A former four-star recruit out of Mountain View, Georgia, Humphries has the versatility to play inside or outside on the defensive line.
More commonly at the defensive tackle slot, Humphries could have quite a group to compete against for field action in his redshirt freshman season.
Unless a surprising transfer or NFL Draft declaration comes up, Jaelin Humphries will have to fight hard for playing time in 2020.
Tedarrell Slaton: Slaton is a fascinating piece for the Gators in their upcoming season.
Slaton has a huge decision to make in the coming days regarding his eligibility for the NFL Draft, where some think he would get drafted despite his low snap count in college.
If he is to return to Florida, Slaton could be a vital piece in anchoring down the defense in running situations for the Gators. His 6-5, 358-pound physique clogs holes and allows him to disrupt plays in the running game at ease.
Coleman Cozier: Joining the team as a walk-on in 2018, Cozier is unlikely to see much action on the field for the Gators in 2020.
What Florida loses on the DL:
Luke Ancrum: After being suspended early in the season for undisclosed reasons, Ancrum had minimal impact on the Gators in 2019.
As he was being used majorly as a rotational/special teams player, Ancrum’s shoes do not leave the Gators with any gaping holes.
Adam Shuler: The most significant loss for Florida at the defensive tackle position is senior Adam Shuler.
Shuler played throughout the 2019 season in 11 of the Gators 13 games. He accounted for 29 total tackles and 3.5 sacks on the season.
While the incoming class of freshmen should do just fine replacing Shuler over time, losing veterans like Shuler could cause some pass rush issues up the middle for the Gators defense in 2020.
Jabari Zuniga: Gator Nation got a taste of what a Zuniga-less Gators looked like in all but five games in 2019.
Due to a lingering injury that kept him out of action for most of the season, Zuniga saw limited time on the field and allowed for younger pieces to see time and gain experience at his strong side defensive end position.
After accounting for 14 tackles and three sacks for the Gators in 2019, a recovering Jabari Zuniga will look to set his sights on the upcoming NFL Draft. You'll be able to watch him compete in the Senior Bowl in the coming weeks.
What Florida gains on the DL:
Gervon Dexter: Possibly the biggest splash Dan Mullen has made as a recruiter during his time at Florida, Dexter will be huge next season.
With a skill set that gives him the ability to see extended playing time a true freshman, the borderline five star is Gator blooded through and through.
His pass-rushing ability mixed with his size (6-7, 286 lbs.) on the inside makes him a physically dominant defender that can fit the bill wherever the Gators choose to use him. As a player coming into a program for his first season, he is as good as it gets.
The coaching staff couldn't ask for more out of a player they still consider raw and untapped talent. Expect to see Dexter early and often in the 2020 season.
Johnnie Brown: A four-star defensive tackle out of Tampa, FL, Brown signed with the Gators over FSU, Georgia, and LSU on Early Signing Day.
A big pick up for Dan Mullen and his staff, Brown accounted for 53 tackles, seven sacks, and four forced fumbles in his senior year of high school.
The big man up front on the Gators defense will likely see limited action in 2020 as most Freshmen do, but his time will eventually come for him to shine.
Jalen Lee: In efforts to anchor down the trenches on the defensive side of the ball in 2020, defensive line coach David Turner went out and secured a guy with terrific size and length as an interior defensive lineman.
His impact in the running game is his strong suit and something the Gators look for in their defensive lineman.
Before he sees extended playing time on the field, he will likely spend the 2020 season becoming more efficient in pass-rushing situations.
Lamar Goods: Finally, the four-star out from Canada brings impressive size to the interior of the Gators defense.
Similar to the other freshman listed above in Lee and Brown, Goods will likely sit a year to groom his talents as he gears up to get on the field in future seasons.
2020 Outlook:
With the loss of rotational pieces in Adam Shuler and Luke Ancrum, as well as talented strong side defensive end Jabari Zuniga, the Gators have a plethora of moving parts on the defensive line in 2020.
A position group full of players at opposite points in the career as Gators, the team will be in a much different boat than the one it was in this season.
Anchoring down the middle will likely include a veteran senior who gets his last chance to play for the orange and blue in Kyree Campbell.
His partner in crime? A mix of rising depth players and a true freshman who has shown flashes of brilliance in high school and will have the opportunity to play right away as he begins his first season in the orange and blue, in Gervon Dexter.
Despite all of the turnover, the Gators' defensive line still looks to be stout and ready for the challenges teams face year in and year out.
