Myles Graham Growing as a Leader in Midst of Gators' 2025 Struggles

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Myles Graham is finding himself as a vocal leader for a team in desperate need of leadership.

The Florida Gators are just 1-3 to start the 2025 season, a shocking start for a team initially considered a playoff darkhorse during the preseason. With the defense itself has been a large reason why Florida even contended in those three losses, Graham is taking a hold of being a team-wide leader as the program already has its backs against the wall.

That growth as a vocal leader is something the program has been working on Graham with since the offseason.

"When times get harder, I feel like, for me, it is easier to step up and become a leader because I saw how down the guys were and how it kind of hurt us as a team," Graham said. "So, I felt like that was a perfect moment for me to step up and become a leader that the guys needed me to be. I am still working on it, still have a lot of room to grow in that aspect, but I am working on it every single day, hyping guys up, giving guys energy and doing what I need to be.”

It's also something he is taking personally as a legacy player in the program.

Graham's journey to Florida as the son of UF running back great Earnest Graham is well-documented, as is Earnest's influence in Graham's aggressive play on the field. Like the coaching staff, the older Graham is using the team's on-field struggles as an opportunity to help the younger Graham grow.

"I've seen him being more vocal. He's really growing into the linebacker position the way you have to play as a SEC football player," Earnest Graham told Florida Gators on SI. "The way that he's closing, the way that he's being active out on the field. You can see him in the press conferences really being an extension of the staff in regards to upholding the standard in the locker room. So I can't be more proud of him."

Sophomore Myles Graham leads the team with 24 tackles. | Kyle Lander / Florida Gators on SI

Graham's on-field leadership is also translating to personal on-field success. He currently leads the team with 24 total tackles and is tied for the team-high was 2.5 tackles for loss. Should he finish the season as the team-leader in tackles, he would be the first UF linebacker to do that since Mohamoud Diabate in 2021.

The personal stats are a microcosm of a Gators defense carrying the team at the moment.

Florida's defense has only allowed five touchdowns all season, two of which were garbage time touchdowns after turnovers on downs against Miami. The Gators also boast the nation's No. 22 total defense.

The defensive success, however, is overlooked by the offense's shortcomings, which include only three touchdowns total across the last three games, penalty issues and an inability to push the ball down the field in the passing game.

As a result, Graham has begun to take steps to expand his role as a defensive leader into that as a team leader.

"There are also people that have told me I need to step up and become more vocal and help them out in that aspect," Graham said. "Stepping up and becoming a full leader is not easy and calling guys out and holding them accountable is also not easy. You can’t be liked by everybody if you want to be that vocal leader so I am definitely working on that.”

Florida Gators linebacker Myles Graham is taking the team's on-field struggles personally. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Head coach Billy Napier agrees.

"I think he has leadership traits," Napier said. "We want him to be more vocal... We're continually working on him finding his voice as a leader, being that alpha. And I think he gets a little bit better each opportunity as he gets more experience in the games."

Earnest Graham has also instilled a sense of self-reflection in his son, that even despite his own personal success, the task at hand of turning the season around is not even close to complete. And, even if Florida somehow finds a way to flip the script, there's still growth to be done.

"It's nice to win, but a lot of things can be hidden when you're winning," Earnest Graham said. "Every day you go in the building, you gotta evaluate yourself. You gotta evaluate the team, find a way to get a little bit better, and you got to be happy with where that goes as a football team if you're doing the work that needs to be done."

Graham's quest to lead a turnaround begins on Saturday as Florida hosts No. 9 Texas, looking to snap a three-game losing streak and earn its first FBS win of the season.

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