Rob Sale is on the move again, and this time he’s headed to Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he’ll reunite with Billy Napier at James Madison University as the Dukes’ new offensive line coach. It’s a familiar pairing - Sale previously worked under Napier at Florida, and before that, he brought his NFL experience to the New York Giants’ offensive line room in 2021. Now, he brings that same pedigree to a rising JMU program looking to solidify its presence in the FBS.
While Florida’s 2025 season didn’t go according to plan, Sale’s work in Gainesville left a lasting impression - especially in the trenches. He carved out a reputation for developing overlooked talent into NFL-caliber linemen.
Two names stand out: center Jake Slaughter and left tackle Austin Barber. Both are projected to be early picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, with Barber even landing as high as No. 12 overall in ESPN’s preseason mock draft.
That kind of development doesn’t happen by accident - it’s a credit to Sale’s hands-on coaching and eye for detail.
Rewind to 2024, and Sale’s impact was even more evident. That season, the Gators closed out the year with four straight wins, including top-25 victories over LSU, Ole Miss, and rival Florida State, before capping it off with a Gasparilla Bowl win over Tulane.
Florida ended the year 8-5, one of just six unranked teams nationally to notch multiple wins over ranked opponents. The offensive line was a driving force behind that late-season surge.
Individually, Jake Slaughter emerged as a star. He was named a First-Team All-American by the Associated Press - only the third center in Florida history to earn that distinction.
ESPN and CBS/247Sports also honored him with All-American nods, and he earned First-Team All-SEC recognition from the AP. His dominance didn’t stop there - in 2025, Slaughter was a second-team All-American pick by five different outlets, continuing to anchor the line with consistency and power.
Meanwhile, Bryce Lovett earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team, another testament to Sale’s ability to get young talent ready to play.
Florida’s offensive line under Sale wasn’t just about individual accolades - the unit performed at a high level across the board. In 2024, the Gators ranked ninth nationally in passing yards per completion (14.11), a stat that speaks to both quarterback aggressiveness and offensive line protection.
The Gators didn’t allow a sack in four different games in 2025 and gave up just 20 all season, finishing third in the SEC in that category. They also graded out as the No. 11 pass-blocking unit in the FBS, second-best in the SEC behind only Texas.
Slaughter, in particular, was a rock. After starting eight games in 2025 and making his debut in the opener at Utah, he finished the year ranked as the No. 14 center in the country by Pro Football Focus - a strong finish to a standout career.
Looking back at Sale’s first season in Gainesville in 2022, he helped engineer one of the most efficient ground games in the country. Florida finished the regular season ranked third nationally and first in the SEC in yards per carry (5.84), while averaging 213.7 rushing yards per game - good for 16th in the FBS. That kind of production starts up front, and Sale’s line delivered, allowing just 13 sacks all season - tied for second-fewest in the SEC and 16th nationally.
Now, as he joins Napier at James Madison, Sale brings with him a proven track record of building tough, technically sound offensive lines that can anchor both the run and pass game. For a JMU program continuing to climb the FBS ladder, that’s a big-time hire.