Jonathan Greenard is the "bell-cow" of Florida's elite pass rush

Two months ago, Jonathan Greenard was just a grad transfer looking to do his best at replacing an elite pass rusher. Fast forward to now: Greenard has become an elite pass rusher of his own.

Shortly after the turn of the year, Todd Grantham and the Gators' defense received news that former Louisville Cardinal defensive end Jonathan Greenard would be joining the team as a graduate transfer. 

However, Grantham is no stranger to Greenard -- in fact, Grantham's active pursuit of the Georgia native began over four years ago when Greenard was enrolled at Hiram High School in Hiram, Georgia, and Grantham was coaching under Bobby Petrino at Louisville. 

"I remember [Grantham] driving through the parking lot and he sped and stopped right in front of my car," Greenard recalls. "He gave me the offer [to Louisville] and I understood right then and there what he was about." 

At the time, Greenard was a measly 200 pounds -- nearly 30 pounds less than the average Division I linebacker weighs. 

"I was only about 200, 210 pounds," Greenard said. "I was a lot smaller. And for him to see that -- something I never saw in myself and something I kind of doubted myself on just as far as me being smaller and he gave me a shot." 

As a Cardinal, Greenard tallied 70 total tackles in two seasons. In 2018, on the opening defensive play of the Cardinals' season, Greenard sustained a significant injury to his right wrist -- an injury that ended the linebacker's 2018 season. 

Despite leaving the Louisville Cardinals to join Dan Mullen and the Mississippi State Bulldogs in 2017, Grantham stayed in touch with Jonathan Greenard. 

"He was always there," Greenard said of Grantham. "Even after I got hurt." 

"I can't thank him enough," Greenard gushed. "You know, taking a chance on a guy with this injury and coming to this level of play. It's still good to think that he even thought of me." 

In an offseason that saw elite pass rushers like Jachai Polite and CeCe Jefferson leave Todd Grantham’s defense, picking up Greenard was a step in the right direction in terms of filling the void at pass rush. 

After being sidelined for nearly a year due to a wrist injury at Louisville, the former Louisville Cardinal would be able to step right onto the playing field at the University of Florida for his final year of eligibility. 

Greenard’s presence on the field has been felt by the Gators’ defense. It doesn’t go unnoticed. But more so, Greenard’s presence has been felt by the opposing teams. 

Through six games, Greenard has tallied 28 solo tackles – 12 of which were solo tackles. The first-year Gator also has one forced fumble, one interception, recorded three pass breakups, and leads the team with four sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, 27 QB pressures (per Pro Football Focus).

David Turner, the defensive line coach for Florida has been very complimentary of Greenard’s short career as a Gator.

"Jon is kind of the bell-cow of the group," Turner said. "I mean he has an advantage because he’s been in coach [Todd] Grantham’s defense for an extended period of time, and he understands it. But he’s kind of the bell-cow of the group, he kind of gets everybody going.”

If you watch closely, Greenard’s presence on the football field doesn’t start when he hits somebody. It starts when he gets to the line of scrimmage. Pre-snap, Greenard often helps guys get into position on the defensive side of the football. 

Head coach Dan Mullen said Greenard has slowly matured into one of the team’s greatest leaders on the field. "I think Jon Greenard is better at being vocal," said Mullen. "Now he's comfortable being on the team and making plays and being in games, is a guy that's not afraid to jump up and talk to everybody. So I think there are guys growing into it." 

If there is one thing that Greenard is growing into, it’s the mighty large shoes he had to fill. Coming in after Polite, the standard was set. And it was high. 

In my eyes, Greenard is on pace to be better than Polite. If Greenard continues to perform at the level he has been, and the Gators’ defense continues to perform at the level it has been, then Florida will be vying for the title of most elite defense in the land. And I don’t think they’re too far off.