Jon Bullard could have easily justified leaving the Florida football program early.
After three years of moderate success on a top-end defensive line, Bullard had a realistic chance of being selected in May’s NFL Draft.
Add in the firing of Will Muschamp, his head coach and main confidant ever since arriving at UF, and Bullard had all the reason to leave.
But he wasn’t ready to leave Gainesville just yet.
He had unfinished business.
He had something to prove.
"One more (year) wouldn’t hurt," Bullard said at the Southeastern Conference Media Days in July.
And one month into his senior season, Bullard is proving his worth, serving as the anchor of a flourishing defensive line and taking on the leadership role that has reaped dividends for so many players before him.
That leadership will be put to the test on Saturday, when No. 25 Florida (4-0, 2-0 SEC) faces No. 3 Ole Miss (4-0, 2-0 SEC) in The Swamp at 7 p.m.
"I can’t tell you how glad I am that he chose to come back and he is, through consistent play, helping himself every time he’s out there," first-year UF coach Jim McElwain said.
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For three years, Bullard had veterans to look up to.
Sharrif Floyd, an All-American defensive tackle and the 23rd overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.
Dominique Easley, a first-round selection by the New England Patriots in 2014.
Dante Fowler Jr., the No. 3 pick in May’s draft and the heart and soul of Florida’s defense last year.
But now, Bullard is the leader, the one his teammates look to for answers.
"Bullard knows it’s his time," defensive lineman Joey Ivie said. "He’s a senior. … He’s got to leave a mark."
The mark is already there.
In his first three seasons, Bullard racked up 112 tackles — 16 for loss — and 5.5 sacks in 36 games (22 starts)
But those numbers are a far cry from what the senior has produced in 2015.
Through four games, the 6-foot-3, 283-pound Bullard leads UF linemen with 21 tackles.
He’s tied for second in the SEC in both sacks (four) and tackles for loss (eight). In his entire junior year, he only had 2.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss.
He saved the Gators in their 14-9 win against Kentucky with his third-down sack of Wildcats quarterback Patrick Towles with 46 seconds left in the game. Defensive back Quincy Wilson sealed UF’s win one play later with a fourth-down interception.
"It starts with Jon," McElwain said. "What he’s doing in preparation. It’s not the game. The game’s easy if you take care of today. And that’s what he’s really done."
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Bullard knows he doesn’t need to be the loudest one in the huddle to command his teammates’ attention.
He lets his play do the talking.
And Bullard’s play has spoken loud and clear.
"If they see how hard I’m working and actually making a name for myself," he said, "they’ll tag along."
So far, it’s worked out.
UF defensive lineman Jon Bullard (90, at right) celebrates with his teammates during Florida's 28-27 win against Tennessee on Sept. 26, 2015, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
A third of the way into the regular season, the Gators are tied for sixth nationally in sacks (14) and tied for ninth in tackles for loss (35).
"Bullard pulls us together," defensive lineman Caleb Brantley said. "He became a leader."
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The 2016 NFL Draft is more than six months away, but Bullard still has a ways to go before being considered among the elite prospects.
He’s nowhere to be found on ESPN analysts Todd McShay or Mel Kiper Jr.’s big boards and he’s listed as a second-to-third round draft pick by CBS Sports.
But don’t try to convince SEC Network analyst and former NFL defensive lineman Marcus Spears that Bullard isn’t a top player.
"Every year, you’ve got guys in the conference who can change the game up front. He’s definitely that guy," said Spears, the No. 20 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.
To Spears, a former All-American defensive end at LSU before playing eight full seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, the transition from college to professional football is more mental than physical, something he said Bullard should have no problem doing.
Bullard has already improved his game and is playing at all four positions along the defensive line, a sign of versatility that has worked in both Florida’s and Bullard’s favor.
"I’ve seen improvement that I could have in my game and that’s what I wanted to come back and do," Bullard said. "… I just came back just to try to strive and get my goal which is be a high-rounder."
Since 2007, UF has had five defensive linemen selected in the first round.
And if the rest of the season plays out like the first four weeks, Spears said Bullard has the chance to be the sixth.
"D-linemen don’t just fall off trees, man," Spears said.
"So when you find someone that athletic with long arms and range, he’s a scout’s dream."
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Bullard is making a name for himself.
And Saturday’s game against Ole Miss will provide him the opportunity to show just how well he can handle a challenge.
The Rebels have one of the most potent offenses in the country, leading the SEC in scoring offense (54.8 points/game), passing offense (344.5 yards/game) and total offense (543.5 yards/game).
Ole Miss’ offensive line has given up just six sacks this season. The line has held its own even with star offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil not playing a single down this year due to an ongoing NCAA investigation.
"Their ranking is well deserved and well built by their staff and how they’ve gotten players and all that kind of stuff," McElwain said. "This is a heck of an Ole Miss team."
And the Rebels are just the start.
Over the next month, UF faces three top-10 teams in Ole Miss, No. 9 LSU and No. 8 Georgia, a daunting challenge that will make or break McElwain’s first year at UF.
But to Bullard, that schedule will only force the Gators to prove just how good they are.
And he’ll be leading the way on defense.
"We all try to come in and get guys to lock in," Bullard said.
"It’s hard to get everybody to lock in every day, but if we want to be great, that’s what we have to do."
Contact Jordan McPherson at jmcpherson@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @J_McPherson1126
UF defensive lineman Jon Bullard (90) goes for a tackle during Florida's 28-27 win against Tennessee on Sept. 26, 2015, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
