GAINESVILLE In the run-up to SEC Media Days, this is the sixth position-by-position preview of the UF football team.
INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINE TODAY
What to anticipate
Caleb Banks, a defensive tackle for Florida, transferred from Louisville in 2023 as a project, but if he keeps up his present pace, he may be selected in the first round of the draft and depart the Gators. During the latter month of the 2024 season, Banks’ development took a significant turn for the better, as evidenced by his 2.5-sack day during UF’s upset of No. 9 Ole Miss on November 23. The 6-foot-6, 329-pound redshirt senior now hopes to start the season as a disruptive force.
Banks’ output has not yet reached his full potential. Despite having 29 quarterback pressures, he concluded 2024 with 21 tackles, 7 for loss (4.5 sacks), and 2 forced fumbles. In 12 games, including 11 starts, he only recorded 19 tackles (1.5 for loss) in 2023.
Gerald Chatman, the position coach who came from Tulane following the 2023 season, is sure Banks can handle the pressure.
Ahead to 2025 spring sessions, Chatman stated that it’s getting him to do that from Day 1 and then be consistent throughout the entire year. That is the difficulty. Being that guy we saw at the end of the season requires effort. He has a bright future in store.
I do think that he will do it correctly.
After losing Cam Jackson and Des Watson, the interior line does not return other seasoned depth, so the Gators are counting on it.
Redshirt sophomore Jamari Lyons, who sustained a broken ankle during Florida’s first intrasquad scrimmage in August, will also be crucial. He played both tackle positions and recorded 20 tackles as a reserve in 2023, including 2.5 for loss. The 6-3, 308-pound Cocoa native is hoped to start as nose tackle for UF. Massive sophomore Michai Boireau (6-4, 355) is the other choice; in 2024, he made 12 stops in 12 games as a true rookie.
Both senior Brien Taylor Jr. (6-6, 278) and redshirt sophomore Tarvorise Brown (6-6, 290) are athletic junior college transfers who offer depth. Banks will be replaced by Taylor, who concluded the previous season with 14 tackles, including two for loss. Despite his three appearances and 26 snaps, Brown hopes to play nose tackle more often.
incredibly fascinating first-year studentTo Chatman and company’s joy, four-star prospect Joseph Mbatchou retracted his Texas commitment last November. The Cameroonian native’s ceiling is huge at 6-4, 283 pounds. He didn’t start playing football until the 2024 season at Loganville, Georgia’s Grayson High, where he recorded 30 tackles in 14 games, including 13 for loss.
Another actual freshmanDuring 20 games in 2023–24, Jeremiah McCloud, a 3-star recruit from Leesburg, Georgia, Lee County, recorded 108 tackles (31.5 for loss, 13 sacks), and six forced fumbles. However, at 6-2 and 279 pounds, he could need to gain muscle to be able to contribute.
What they’re saying
Any player, but defensive lineman in particular, must first have the right mindset. They need to be in the correct mindset, and I believe they developed that. They developed into a close-knit community and a closer brotherhood, to the point that they started mentoring one another. They embraced the principles and technique, and I believe that being fundamentally sound is another important aspect of playing the position. As time passed and they advanced, they came to adore technique and the principles. Chatman on the growth of his unit in 2024.
Returnees
Banks, CalebBrown TarvoriseLyons, JamariTaylor, Brien Jr.
Departures
Antre Robinson and Cam JacksonDSlackman, JoeyDes Watson
Newcomers
Joseph Mbatchou, a genuine freshman from Grayson, GeorgiaTrue freshman Jeremiah McCloud of Leesburg, Georgia
Offseason projected depth chart
The nose guardTarvorise Brown | Michai Boireau | Jamari LyonsJeremiah McCloud | Brien Taylor Jr. | TackleCaleb Banks
Previous
The quarterbackReturning by runningThe tight endLine of offensive reception
You can contact Edgar Thompson at [email protected].
