Gators 2025 Spring Positional Outlook: Corners

Gators Illustrated is reviewing, and previewing, each position on Florida's roster during the 2025 offseason. Up next are the corners.

Devin Moore leads the corner room while looking to avoid injuries in his final collegiate season. | Kyle Lander / Gators Illustrated

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- A new season approaches, and the Florida Gators will look to breakout in head coach Billy Napier's fourth year after a strong finish to the 2024 campaign.

Familiar faces return, but the Gators saw usual roster attrition in the offseason with 19 total departures from last season, 13 of which were on scholarship, via the NCAA Transfer Portal and more from exhausting their collegiate eligibilities.

As a result, the Gators added 31 total players with a 26-signee high school class and a five-signee transfer portal class.

Gators Illustrated is breaking down each position on Florida's roster as the team approaches spring training camp with a review of each unit's 2024 performances and an outlook on the 2025 season and will revisit each position group with a final depth chart prediction during fall camp.

We continue the defensive unit outlooks with the corners.

Quick Review

Under new position coach Will Harris, it was back to basics for the Gators' corners, which only recorded one interception as a unit in 2023 and struggled to tackle in space.

After rough showings early in the season, the unit experienced a turnaround in both categories while also being short-handed for most of the season.

Ja'Keem Jackson missed most of the season with an injury, and Jason Marshall Jr. and Devin Moore both suffered season-ending injuries midway through the season. Both were in the midst of strong campaigns with Moore recording a career-high two interceptions in six games, while Marshall Jr. was proving to be a lockdown corner.

In their place, Florida relied on two inexperienced players in Dijon Johnson and Cormani McClain before McClain himself also went down with an injury. As a result, transfer Trikweze Bridges moved from safety to corner, and there was little-to-no dropoff despite four contributors being out with injuries.

Johnson seemingly improved from game-to-game after allowing five receptions on seven targers against LSU. In wins over Ole Miss, FSU and Tulane, Johnson only allowed five receptions and became a strong tackler. He also nearly recorded the game-sealing interception against the Rebels before it was overturned by video review.

McClain even had his moments before his injury with a pick-six against Kentucky, although he'd only play in two more games from there with an apparent wrist injury.

Though the numbers may not have been draw-dropping with LSU's Garrett Nussmeier and Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart throwing for 363 yards, the Gators defense held both ranked opponents to 17 points while completely shutting down FSU and Tulane after.

Out and In

Scholarship players only

• Out: Ja'Keem Jackson (Transfer), Jason Marshall Jr. (Graduation), Trikweze Bridges (Graduation)
• In: Micheal Caraway Jr. (Transfer), Ben Hanks III (Freshman), Onis Konanbanny (Freshman)

Into 2025

With Marshall Jr., Bridges and Jackson all gone, Florida not only will need Moore and McClain to stay healthy, but they'll need everyone to take a step up in elevated roles. Not to mention, they'll have to do it under a new position coach in Deron Wilson, who will look to replicate his work at Arkansas in which the Razorbacks saw considerable improvement during his time there.

Moore, when healthy, and Johnson are the clear starters with McClain, who is now on scholarship, and redshirt freshman Jameer Grimsley, a former four-star recruit, seemingly the immediate backups. However, don't necessarily count out redshirt freshman Teddy Foster and true freshman Ben Hanks III.

Hanks III a legacy recruit, recorded a county-record 13 interceptions as a senior at Booker T. Washington and is poised to play immediately in some capacity in the Gators' defense. Meanwhile, Foster will be one to keep an eye on throughout spring camp after a year of development.

The other freshman added to the group is four-star Onis Konanbanny. However, because he won't be enrolled until the summer and Florida having experience in front of him, it's too early to project where his impact will be. However, once he's on campus, his development will be crucial for the future of the room.

"I think Onis is a very underrated player, in my opinion," Napier said in February. "I mean I see some of these rankings I mean, that guy’s, I watched that tape again yesterday just to make sure I was seeing it right. I mean 6-foot and a quarter, 180, 185 pounds, and physical, two-way player, a guy who can, you know, plays offense and defense. He's physical."

Additionally, the Gators added transfer Micheal Caraway Jr. to the fold. However, his experience and Florida's need at the STAR position make him a candidate there, but he will be an option at corner depending on the situation similar to Bridges last year.

Way Too Early Depth Chart Projection 

Starters: Devin Moore (Sr.), Dijon Johnson (So.)

Backups: Cormani McClain (R-So.), Jameer Grimsley (R-Fr.), Ben Hanks III (Fr.)

Reserves: Micheal Caraway Jr. (Sr.) Teddy Foster (R-Fr.) Onis Konanbanny (Fr.), Javion Toombs (R-Jr.)* Vincent Brown Jr. (Jr.)*