Which Florida Gators Defenders Are on the Rise Following Spring Game?
Photo: Tyreak Sapp; Credit: Alex Shepherd
Sometimes youth prevails. That's especially true in college football where youth is put to the test on any given roster, and the Florida Gators showcased some of their young talent during last week's Orange and Blue spring game, particularly on defense.
Throughout former Florida head coach Dan Mullen's tenure, though the team lacked promise in the recruiting aspect of things, it was able to find a couple of gems defensively and that was showcased during the spring game.
Players such as defensive linemen Tyreak Sapp, cornerback Jordan Young and linebacker Diwun Black all showcased promise that perhaps should be expected from them moving forward. So did cornerback transfer Jalen Kimber, although he joined the program after Billy Napier took over as head coach.
The star of the group of young defenders was Sapp, a 6-foot-2, 264-pound wrecking ball of a defensive lineman. With the ability to play both inside and out within the Florida defense, he certainly will look toward having more of a role this season.
During the contest, Sapp generated plenty of plays including six tackles, a tackle for loss and a forced fumble for the Blue team last week. He also pressured quarterback Jack Miller into throwing an interception.
Sapp's explosive plays were noticed by veteran linebacker Ventrell Miller, who said the redshirt freshman has been the "eye-catcher" among young defenders.
"Sapp definitely has been the eye-catcher," Miller told a scrum of reporters shortly following the game last Thursday. "Sapp goes out, works hard every day. He definitely makes a lot of plays. So, yeah, I'm just glad to see them boys getting in and coming out there doing a good job."
Another redshirt freshman, Young also received plenty of praise during the contest, excelling at the STAR position on Thursday. On multiple occasions, Young looked like a heat-seeking missile when making a tackle, showing his willingness as a tackler. He totaled six tackles on the night, as well as two pass breakups that weren't registered in the box score.
Following the game, Young met with the media to discuss his progression within the defense and his time playing at STAR. He indicated that it was recent when he transitioned back to the position, playing primarily on the boundary during spring. Due to injuries, though, Young was forced to play the role he did last year.
“I feel like I did good. I put my trust in God and just went out there and played. My teammates went out there and balled, too," Young said of his performance.
"They were calling certain things for everyone to make a great impact on offense and defense, and we were just going out there and had a good game.”
Young, listed at 6-foot, 188 pounds, is expected to be a utilized player moving forward as he continues to work as a versatile defensive back for co-defensive coordinator Patrick Toney's defense.
A fellow DB, Kimber, a redshirt sophomore cornerback transfer, also shined under the lights. After opting to pursue a different opportunity at Florida after a couple of years with the Georgia Bulldogs, Kimber has been thrust into the top portion of the depth chart outside for the Gators.
He will likely be utilized in a rotation with players such as Jaydon Hill and Avery Helm to begin his journey, but he showed on Thursday that the competition at outside cornerback opposite of Jason Marshall Jr. is absolutely alive in well.
On the night, Kimber came up with one of the two interceptions of the day, while also showcasing solid man coverage ability against Florida receivers. Simply put, he stood out, accounting for six tackles and two pass breakups to go along with his INT.
Talked about at length following the game, Black also appears to be a player on a significant rise within the Florida football program. The junior LB who transferred to Florida last year out of JUCO appears to have a foothold on the backup LB position and could push veteran Amari Burney for playing time early this season due to his coverage ability.
On the day, Black accounted for three tackles and two pass breakups and was praised by both Miller and head coach Billy Napier following the contest for his hard work and dedication to his craft.
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