Florida isn’t just known for its secondary.
While UF’s vaunted corners and safeties have often claimed the title of “DBU”, the Gators also boasted a talented defensive front that caused plenty of problems for opposing teams on its own. As UF prepares to head into the 2019 season, its defensive line will feature both returning stars and new additions.
The player to watch on the defensive front this year is redshirt senior Jabari Zuniga. The edge rusher has made his way onto numerous award watch lists – the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Lott IMPACT Trophy – just as seamlessly as he made his way into the backfield last season, accruing 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss.
With the loss of both Jachai Polite and Cece Jefferson from last year’s squad, Zuniga will also be the line’s veteran leader heading into the 2019 season. Polite’s presence is certain to be missed: He netted 11 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss en route to a third-round selection by the New York Jets. Jefferson was a consistent mainstay for the group, starting in eight of the 11 games he played in last year.
Kyree Campbell and graduate student Adam Schuler are the only other defensive linemen on this year’s squad who started consistently last year (Campbell started in 11 games and Schuler started in 10). Both players recorded 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks each in 2018 and are two prime candidates to fill the void left by Jefferson and Polite.
The Gators’ roster also features rotational players who could look to play a bigger role in the defensive line. Juniors Elijah Conliffe and Tedarrell Slaton both started two games last year (Charleston Southern and Kentucky) and both recovered a fumble in 2018. Redshirt senior Luke Ancrum was notable for his efforts against Tennessee, where he notched an interception.
In addition to its returning pieces, UF has a single newcomer on the defensive line for 2019. Freshman Jaelin Humphries is a four-star recruit out of Mountain View High School in Georgia, where he played on both the offensive and defensive line. Humphries turned down offers from Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State and Tennessee to come to Gainesville. The Lawrenceville, Georgia, native was ranked the 17th best defensive lineman of the 2019 class and made the ESPN 300 at No. 217.
UF may have some holes to fill on the line, but with veteran leadership in Zuniga and a supporting secondary that’s more than ideal, the rest of the SEC could find the Gator defensive front a significant problem come 2019.
Follow River Wells on Twitter @riverhwells. Contact him at rwells@alligator.org.
