There is no denying the fact that Dan Mullen’s staff struggled to recruit true defensive linemen in the 2019 recruiting cycle.
However, Mullen and his staff receive a huge boost on Wednesday with the signing of Rivals100 defensive end Khris Bogle, who flipped his pledge from Alabama to Florida.
Florida are expected to miss out on Mississippi products Charles Moore and Nathan Pickering, however, they did add early signee Jaelin Humphries in December.
And Humphries is not the only talented player in this class that can get after the quarterback.
Finishing off strong
Along with signing Lloyd Summerall and Mohamoud Diabate in December, the Gators received a letter of intent from Bogle on Wednesday.
As is the case with Diabate and Summerall, the 6-foot-5, 215-pounder will get reps at the ‘Buck’ position in Todd Grantham’s 3-4 defensive scheme.
Players taking on the Buck position are required to be able to rush both the passer and drop back into coverage. While there may be an adjustment process for these signees, each of them possesses the body frame and playmaking skills that are required to assume the role.
On top of learning the ins and outs of the position, an offseason with strength and conditioning coach Nick Savage should also help with their physical transition to college. All three players could definitely pack on a few more pounds before taking on SEC competition at the next level.
Whether the staff sticks with them at this hybrid of an outside linebacker and defensive end remains to be seen. Either way, Grantham and the rest of his group will have a few possibilities to consider when evaluating a replacement for Jachai Polite, who dominated at the Buck position last season.
Looking ahead
National Signing Day capped off Mullen’s second recruiting cycle with the Gators, but the head coach will now have his eyes set on putting together a solid 2020 class.
There are a flurry of candidates in next year’s cycle that Florida views as capable of playing the Buck in Grantham’s defense. Rivals100 prospects Sav’ell Smalls and Zykeivous Walker could ultimately end up being just pure pass rushers, but both have told GT that the Gators could see them at outside linebacker and getting after the quarterback.
A pair of four-star targets, Chantz Williams and Fadil Diggs, have also heard from the staff that they could end up playing the hybrid position too. When recapping his recent junior day visit to Florida, Williams said that he spent most of his time on Saturday with outside linebackers and that the goal is for him to play at the Buck spot.
The Gators will hope to have their replacement for Polite in the trio of Bogle, Diabate and Summerall, but there are also a number of options in the future for them to consider as well.
Stay tuned to GatorsTerritory.
