EDGE TJ Searcy Signs With Florida Gators
Thomaston (Ga.) Upson-Lee edge rusher T.J. Searcy was the first Gators commit to sign his National Letter of Intent with Florida on Wednesday to open the early signing period.
Searcy considered Tennessee, Clemson and South Carolina before opting to commit to Florida on July 4, kicking off UF's summer recruiting surge and emerging as a key member of the Gators' defensive line rebuild.
A long-limbed edge rusher at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, Searcy is expected to man the JACK outside linebacker position for Florida but is also capable of lining up as a hand-in-the-dirt defensive end at the next level.
The On3 Sports consensus rankings view Searcy as the No. 22 defensive lineman and No. 180 overall prospect in the class of 2023. He compiled 152 tackles, seven sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss in three varsity seasons for Upson-Lee.
You can find a blurb of Searcy's All Gators scouting report below.
At the prep level, Searcy plays with a mean streak on both sides of the ball. Offensively, as a tight end, he gets out in front of the ball carrier as a lead blocker and finishes his blocks. That physicality directly translates to the defensive side of the ball, where he will play in college.
More importantly on the defensive side of the ball, he shows nice athleticism to play as an off-ball LB and even STAR nickel corner occasionally at his size. He diagnoses the play quickly and flies downhill to the football to make the tackle with proper pursuit angles.
When he gets closer to the line of scrimmage, which is where he will likely be at the next level aligning as a JACK rusher, he shows good first-step quickness out of his stance to get past opposing offensive tackles. He also uses his hands well to shed linemen and get to the quarterback or ball carrier, previously flashing a savvy swipe move while working off of the tackle’s outside shoulder.
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