Gators 2025 Spring Positional Outlook: Edge Rushers

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- A new season approaches, and the Florida Gators will look to breakout in head coach Billy Napier's fourth year after a strong finish to the 2024 campaign.

Familiar faces return, but the Gators saw usual roster attrition in the offseason with 19 total departures from last season, 13 of which were on scholarship, via the NCAA Transfer Portal and more from exhausting their collegiate eligibilities.

As a result, the Gators added 31 total players with a 26-signee high school class and a five-signee transfer portal class.

Gators Illustrated is breaking down each position on Florida's roster as the team approaches spring training camp with a review of each unit's 2024 performances and an outlook on the 2025 season and will revisit each position group with a final depth chart prediction during fall camp.

After reviewing the entire offense, we kick the defensive unit outlooks with the edge rushers.

Quick Review

Florida went into 2024 with what seemed to be a surefire dynamic duo in veterans Tyreak Sapp and Justus Boone, who had missed all of 2023 with a torn ACL.

While Boone struggled and was ultimately taken out of the rotation for much of the back-half of the season, Sapp quietly put up his best collegiate season to date with 46 tackles while leading the team with seven sacks and 13 tackles-for-loss. As with the defensive unit as a whole, Sapp saw his best play near the end of the season with half of his sack total coming in the last three regular season games.

Sapp would finish as with Florida's highest PFF grade (90.4), which was also the eighth-highest among FBS rushers and highest by a UF defender since 2019.

That being said, early season struggles defensive forced Florida to make midseason changes to its edge rusher rotation, and the adjustments worked with one newcomer and one rotational piece returning from injury each experiencing breakout campaigns.

George Gumbs Jr., a former walk-on tight end at Northern Illinois, became one of the Gators' most-consistent pass rushers, finishing the season with career-high marks in tackles (35) and sacks (five) and second on the team in tackles-for-loss (eight).

Meanwhile, Jack Pyburn carved out a nice role as a starter with a unit-high 60 tackles with four tackles-for-loss, a sack and an interception, finding a knack as a run-stopper.

Depth-wise, the Gators relied heavily on sophomores Kamran James and TJ Searcy to compliment Gumbs Jr., Sapp and Pyburn, and the two played well with each having multi-sack seasons with at least 28 tackles each.

Additionally, Florida threw five-star freshman LJ McCray into the fire early. Although he didn't record the flashiest stats with only 13 tackles and half a sack, he did find a knack for pressure with five quarterback hurries, which was tied for the second-highest on the team.

While the first half of the 2024 campaign left a lot to be desired, the Gators edge rushers shined during the defensive breakout in the second half. However, much attrition from the offseason means new faces in the room for 2025.

Out and In

Scholarship players only

• Out: Justus Boone (Transfer), Quincy Ivory (Transfer), Jack Pyburn (Transfer), TJ Searcy (Transfer)
• In: Kofi Asare (Transfer), Jayden Woods (Freshman), Jalen Wiggins (Freshman)

Into 2025

Florida saw attrition in the room with 2024 contributors Pyburn, Boone and Searcy all transfer out of the program to other SEC schools, but the unit is still poised to be as productive as last season with veteran leaders Gumbs Jr. and Sapp returning.

Meanwhile, Florida rebuilt the depth behind the two by returning rotational pieces McCray and James, both of whom are expected to see more play time after the departures, and by welcoming highly touted freshmen Jayden Woods and Jalen Wiggins.

After signing the two in December, UF head coach Billy Napier raved about what the two could add to the team and specifically praised Woods for his multi-faceted abilities.

"Jayden Woods is one of my favorites. We evaluated Jayden. Really high grade," he said. "Then he came on campus with his grandmother in the spring. After meeting him, it was like, 'Okay, that's exactly what we're looking for.'40-inch vertical. Elite thrower. Freaky throws. 6'3", 235. Plays stack backer. He can rush. He'll be able to run. He's loose-hipped. He can play on special teams. Just a phenomenal human being and worker. 

Florida also added former UMASS edge rusher Kofi Asare to the mix via the transfer portal. Despite not being the most sought-after portal recruit, Napier recently praised the newcomer for his performance during offseason workouts.

"He's added probably 12-to-15 pounds, played really good against the three SEC teams," Napier said. "He's 6-4 ¾, he's 85 wing, a lot of length there and then just really good movements, good athlete, can play in space. He’ll have some special teams value. We got him for two years. So Gumbs-ish, a little bit different. But I like him so far. He’s brought a lot. He’s a worker."

The rotation on a snap-by-snap basis is unclear and won't be decided until the season, but it's an easy projection to pick Gumbs Jr. in the JACK linebacker position and Sapp in the "F" end position as the starters with McCray and James likely to be the first off the bench.

However, the depth added with Woods, Asare and Wiggins means competition for spots in the rotation, and performances in spring could give one or two the edge going into fall camp.

Way Too Early Depth Chart Projection 

JACK Starter: George Gumbs Jr. (R-Sr.) 

JACK Backups: Kofi Asare (R-Jr.) LJ McCray (So.), Jayden Woods (Fr.)

F Starter: Tyreak Sapp (R-Sr.) 

F Backups: Brien Taylor Jr. (Sr.), Kamran James (Jr.), Jalen Wiggins (Fr.)

Reserves: Layne Swafford (R-So)*, Titus Bullard (R-Fr.)*, Charles Emanuel III (R-Fr.)*

* indicates walk-on status 

Offensive Position Previews

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