As Florida’s fall camp gets ready to heat up, most of the attention is stuck on the quarterback battle and the group of skill players that should make the Gators’ offense plenty interesting in 2026. But the other side of the ball has its own list of names worth tracking, especially beyond the obvious starters like Myles Graham and Jayden Woods.
There are a few defenders who barely saw the field last season but could be in line for much bigger jobs this fall. Each of them logged fewer than 300 snaps in 2025, and each has a path to becoming a real factor by the time 2026 rolls around.
LJ McCray is the biggest swing of the bunch. He played just four snaps in 2025 after his season was cut short by injury, and that only added to the frustration around a player who arrived with five-star expectations.
He flashed a little as a true freshman, but not nearly enough to match the hype. Now the question is simple: can he stay healthy and finally turn that five-star potential into steady production?
If he does, Florida could have a major problem for opposing offenses with McCray lining up opposite Jayden Woods.
Ben Hanks III is another name that deserves more attention. The legacy Gator came in with serious buzz as a borderline five-star prospect out of Miami, but his freshman year was mostly quiet.
He played 148 snaps in 2025, appeared in only three games, and redshirted. His best moment came against FSU, when he logged 66 snaps, was targeted five times and allowed only two catches.
That kind of showing gives him a real chance to climb into the rotation at corner, where he could become the primary backup on the outside.
At safety, Lagonza Hayward is the one to watch. Florida appears set with Bryce Thornton and DJ Coleman, the Baylor transfer, ahead of him, but Hayward still has a case to make.
The former top 100 prospect in the class of 2025 played 128 snaps as a true freshman and didn’t make a huge splash, but his physical tackling stood out enough to keep him in the conversation. If he keeps developing, he could force his way into the regular safety mix behind Thornton and Coleman.
And while the linebacker spots look locked in with Myles Graham, Aaron Chiles and Jaden Robinson handling most of the snaps, Ty Jackson is still worth remembering. The former top 150 overall prospect could come into play if injuries hit or if Florida wants another linebacker who can bring the boom.
In Other News...
Florida Finally Got The Answer On Denzel Aberdeens 2026-27 Status
Denzel Aberdeens status for the 2026-27 season finally came into focus after a federal ruling gave the Florida guard the kind of clarity programs have been waiting on all spring. U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte Sweeney issued a preliminary injunction directing the NCAA to declare all members of the 2022 recruiting class eligible, which puts Aberdeen on track for a fifth year and keeps him in the Gators plans after his return from a season at Kentucky.
The ruling matters in Gainesville because Florida had already been operating with a sense of confidence about Aberdeens future, even as the NCAAs new five-for-five eligibility rules left some uncertainty around players from that class. Todd Golden and Scott Stricklin both sounded comfortable with the situation before the court decision, and now the Gators can move forward knowing one of their key backcourt pieces is expected to be available when that season arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Floridas Special Teams Overhaul Is Becoming A Real Gators Storyline
Special teams has quickly become more than a background job in Gainesville, and Jon Sumrall is treating it that way from the start. Florida is opening practices with special teams work, a sign of how much the new coach values the phase, and he brought a familiar package with him from Tulane in coordinator Johnathan Galante, kicker Patrick Durkin and punter Alec Clark.
For a program trying to clean up every edge it can find, the group matters in a lot of different ways. Durkin will be watched closely as the possible answer at kicker after Trey Smack, Clark is expected to help tilt field position, and the Gators also have a chance to make more noise on returns, where one clean look can change a game in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Former Gator Ricky Pearsall Faces Another Brutal NFL Setback
Ricky Pearsalls NFL career has already been marked by more adversity than anyone around the former Florida receiver would have wanted, and now the San Francisco 49ers are preparing for another long stretch without him. Pearsall, drafted in 2024, has played two professional seasons, but his 2025 campaign was limited by the same knee issue that has lingered into this year and now requires surgery.
San Francisco general manager John Lynch confirmed the procedure, underscoring how serious the setback has become for a player the 49ers still view as part of their future. The immediate picture is bleak, with another season wiped out before it starts, but the club is at least holding onto the hope that Pearsall can get back on the field in 2027. [Read more 🡒]