Where Florida's Defensive Roster Stands In Between Signing Day and Portal Opening

Florida has plenty of players with eligibility from 2025, but with unanswered questions on who may leave the program, the Gators could go portal hunting.

Florida linebacker Myles Graham headlines the Gators' returning players in 2026. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

The Florida Gators are entering a new era in 2026. A new head coach is on the sidelines, and a new identity will be implemented. New coordinators have been or are in the process of joining over the next 30 days, hoping to provide a breath of fresh air for all the players on the roster as well. 

Additionally, while all this is happening, Gators head coach Jon Sumrall and his assistant coaches have another set of tasks in front of them. They have to assess every player in the building and figure out which positions to prioritize in the transfer portal. 

With that said, here is how the Gators stack up on defense heading into the offseason and how the portal can help solve the attrition they are set to face. 

Defensive Line

Florida Gators defensive tackle Michai Boireau headlines the defensive linemen who are eligible to return. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

This past season, the interior part of the defensive line was considered short on depth. Additionally, Caleb Banks was supposed to be the “guy.” Unfortunately, he missed most of the season due to injury. He now moves on to the NFL this offseason, meaning another guy is out the door. 

Florida does have the likes of Brendan Bett, Jeramiah McCloud, Michai Boireau, Jamari Lyons and Joseph Mbatchou returning. At the same time, though, the production outside of a few names here should warrant a strong look from the new staff. 

One name of interest is UCF defensive lineman John Walker, who is expected to enter the transfer portal. The Gators targeted him during his high school recruitment and nearly won out before he chose the Knights. They now have another chance at the spoils and need another defensive lineman or two with reps under their belt. 

Edge Rusher

Two of Florida’s most experienced defensive players finished their collegiate careers two Saturdays ago. Edge rushers Tyreak Sapp and George Gumbs Jr. are both moving on to the next level and are now looking to play on Sundays. 

That leaves LJ McCray, Jayden Woods, Kofi Asare, Kamran James and Jalen Wiggins in the edge unit. The Gators also signed elite four-star edge KJ Ford and five-star JaReylan McCoy in this past cycle, giving them younger options to work into the rotation. 

Florida Gators edge rusher Jayden Woods was recently named Freshman All-SEC. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Should Woods, McCray and James return along with the other names mentioned, this room will not need a major overhaul. However, bringing in one highly talented, experienced edge rusher from the portal could help soften the blow of losing Gumbs Jr. and Sapp.

Linebackers

Myles Graham and Aaron Chiles Jr. headline the linebacker position for the Gators. Both played vital roles in the 2025 season. Behind these two were Grayson Howard and Jaden Robinson. Then, backing those guys up were true freshmen Ty Jackson and Myles Johnson. 

Florida Gators linebackers Myles Graham and Aaron Chiles could form one of the top duos in the SEC next season. | Kyle Lander / Florida Gators on SI

The worry for this unit moving forward is where Howard and Robinson stand on their futures. Howard, despite being considered an impact player during last offseason, slowly fell out of favor due to injury. As for Robinson, he just wrapped up his third year with the Gators. 

If both look for new opportunities elsewhere, the Gators most likely will need to bring in one or two new names. One name to keep an eye on is Arkansas freshman linebacker Tavion Wallace, who recently announced plans to enter the portal.

Florida was among Wallace's top schools during his recruitment.

Defensive Backs

The Gators lose Devin Moore and Micheal Caraway Jr. after using their final year of eligibility this season. As a result, the cornerback group becomes a little light on experience.

Cormani McClain and Dijon Johnson are the two names in this group that have played significant snaps and would likely be the starters if they return. Outside of them, rising second-years J’Vari Flowers and Ben Hanks III are next in line to take up a larger role. 

Florida Gators defensive back Dijon Johnson earned a redshirt after suffering a knee injury four games into the 2025 season. | Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

At the star position, the Gators have been relying on Aaron Gates and Sharif Denson over the past few seasons. Gates went down with another injury this past year, though, which gave Denson more snaps and led to the rise of true freshman Lagonza Hayward. 

If everyone stays, it is hard to find room for a player at this position. If one leaves, then the Gators might need to hunt for another name to fill the opening. 

In the safety room, Bryce Thornton and Jordan Castell were the regular starters. Castell had injury problems near the end of the campaign, resulting in true freshman Drake Stubbs and redshirt junior Alfonzo Allen Jr. receiving snaps. 

While the Gators bring in two safeties in their 2026 signing class in Kaiden Hall and Dylan Purter, it could be beneficial to look for one safety in the portal to bolster this position.