Jefferson serves to benefit from new scheme and staff

On January 3, Florida's CeCe Jefferson announced via his Twitter page that he would be returning to Gainesville for his senior season. Jefferson is coming off of his best year as a Gator, notching a career-high 47 tackles, 13.5 TFL and 4.5 sacks, despite playing in the fewest games (11) of any of his three seasons at the University of Florida.

With the additions of Todd Grantham (defensive coordinator) and Sal Sunseri (defensive line coach), and the team’s fundamental shift towards a 3-4 defense, Jefferson could produce his best season as a Gator in a new role.

Lean, Mean, Fighting Machine

More than likely, Jefferson will make the switch to a 3-4 outside linebacker in Grantham’s new defensive scheme. Jefferson has cut weight in three straight seasons, starting at 275 pounds his freshman year, then slimming down to 261 pounds his sophomore year and finally weighing in at 242 pounds this past season. At 6’1”, 242 pounds, Jefferson is too small for your traditional 4-3 defensive end spot, but the perfect size for a 3-4 outside linebacker whose primary duty is to rush the quarterback from a stand-up position.

For Comparison

In Grantham’s defense, Jefferson will more than likely be utilized as a rush end, a role that involves chasing the quarterback at a very high rate. His best attribute has always been his ability to get to the quarterback, and he’ll have plenty of opportunities to do that next season.