Projecting the Florida Gators two-deep depth chart: Defense

The Florida Gators are just days away from opening the 2021 football season with fall camp.

It's not a typical Dan Mullen practice to release depth charts but with the season just weeks away we try to look at the Gators' two-deep depth chart and how the team will shape up on each side of the ball.

The Gators' defense brings back a lot of experience with players like Zach Carter, Ventrell Miller, and Kaiir Elam, but there are some key areas with big questions marks heading into the 2021 season.

Starter: Zach Carter

Backup: Princely Umanmielen

Carter returns for his redshirt senior season as one of the veteran voices on the team and one of the most experienced players. Carter has spent most of his time at Florida bouncing inside and outside but with the additions of two transfers, this offseason should be able to really focus on playing defensive end. Carter led the Gators last season with five sacks and 9.5 tackles for a loss. He's an integral part of the defense as a whole.

Behind him, Umanmielen is an exciting prospect. His speed and first step are elite and should make him a dangerous pass rusher in time. We would have liked to see him get more snaps as a true freshman but he managed two tackles for a loss and two sacks in just six games of limited action.

Starter: Daquan Newkirk

Backup: Gervon Dexter

Newkirk comes to Florida as a transfer from Auburn where he saw action at defensive tackle in 30 games from 2018-20, logging 40 tackles (12 solo), 5.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.5 sacks. Florida badly needed some veteran players in the building and Newkirk stepped into that role right away earning a starting role this spring.

Dexter is the five-star that only started playing football late in his high school career who has limitless potential. Dexter took steps and strides in his freshman season but he needs to continue growing and rounding into the player that everyone envisions him being.

Starter: Antonio Valentino

Backup: Jaelin Humphries

Valentino comes to Florida from Penn State where he appeared in 40 games and recorded 51 tackles (17 solo), 12.5 tackles-for-loss, and 6.0 sacks. Like Newkirk, he gives the Gators a veteran down in the trenches that they needed.

Humphries goes into his third season in Gainesville but has played in just two games. With three years in the playbook, this should be the time for Humphries to take the next step in his development. Additionally, Jalen Lee and Lamar Goods are players that need to step up here for Florida to have depth in 2021.

Starter: Ventrell Miller

Backup: Derek Wingo

Miller was the Gators' leading tackler in 2020 and has 141 tackles the last two seasons. MIller will be the quarterback of Florida's defense and a leader both vocally and on the field.

Wingo played sparingly as a freshman but has a different kind of athleticism than a lot of other linebackers on Florida's roster. Wingo should be able to play sideline to sideline and has a bright future in Gainesville.

Starter: Mohamoud Diabate

Backup: Amari Burney

Dan Mullen talks a lot about finding unicorns, especially last season and Kyle Pitts galavanted over opposing defenses in 2020, and Diabate might be a unicorn on the other side of the ball.

“Mohamoud is a really great athlete, dynamic player with speed of burst coming off the edge,” Mullen said at SEC Media Days. “Mohamoud is a guy who creates matchup issues for guys. Now, when you see him as he's growing into being a linebacker and you see him growing into the instincts of being an every-down player, now is where the matchups become a problem."

Diabate played a lot in 2020 but will be thrust into a starting role in 2021. He's a guy that will be asked to do more and should be up to the task.

Burney. has a lot of talent and has had high expectations but hasn't lived up to them thus far. He did finish fourth on the team with 52 tackles last season but needs to take another step and continue to progress.

Starter: Brenton Cox Jr

Backup: Kris Bogle OR Jeremiah Moon

Cox started all 12 games for the Gators in 2020 tallying 41 tackles (21 solo), 9.5 tackles-for-loss, and four sacks. He also led the team with 18 quarterback hurries. Cox suffered an injury that required surgery in the spring, but despite an erroneous report from a Georgia site, should be ready to play early on this season. He has first round NFL Draft potential if he can put it all together.

Heading into his junior season this is Bogle's time to turn the corner and become the player most think and expect he can be.

Moon is going into his sixth season with Florida. He's had some injury issues during his career, missing time in his freshman season and then each of the last two, playing in just four games last year. This is Moon's last chance to really make an impact for the Gators.

Starter: Kaiir Elam

Backup: Avery Helm

Kaiir Elam has the opportunity to be a high first round draft pick after this season. He's one of the best cover corners in the country. Enjoy him in Orange and Blue while you can. Florida tends to rotate their cornerbacks fluidly throughout the game but Elam may only come off the field when he needs a breather or some Gatorade.

Helm is a supremely talented, athletic prospect who reportedly ran a 4.3 40-yard dash and posted a 40-inch vertical jump this offseason. Helm only played in one game as a freshman, recording one tackle against Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl.

Starter: Jaydon Hill

Backup: Jason Marshall

Hill will be the target of every offense Florida faces this season. That's not a knock on him, more of a nod to Elam on the other side. Hill played in 12 games last year making 12 starts but this will be his first opportunity as the true starting cornerback. He will get his opportunities to start the season but will need to play well to keep that spot.

One of the players that made an instant impact in spring camp was true freshman Jason Marshall, who is as advertised. Marshall is going to play this season. The only question is will he eventually earn a starting role?

Starter: Tre'Vez Johnson

Backup: Jadarrius Perkins / Diwun Black

Johnson played in all 12 games during his freshman season mostly on special teams and at safety. He finished with 15 tackles, an interception, two passes defended, and a tackle-for-loss in his first season. Johnson will get the nod to start at the beginning of the season and at a position that Florida hasn't had really good production from since Chauncey Gardner-Johnson left school.

A transfer from Missouri, Perkins can play inside or outside but Florida will try him at Star when camp breaks. He'll have a chance to earn reps but so will Diwun Black. Black is versatile. He's listed as a safety on the roster but has worked out with the linebacker as well. His size and athleticism make him an intriguing player at this position, which could use both of those in short yardage situations.

Starter: Trey Dean

Backup: Donovan McMilon

Dean was hesitant to move to safety early on in his career but found a home there late in 2020. Dean certainly believes in himself now, tweeting "I'm the best safety in college football" last month. Time will tell if Dean can back that up but we're excited to see Dean getting the chance for extended snaps at safety where he really started to shine when given opportunities in 2020.

McMilion enrolled early a was a quick study in the spring, impressing Dan Mullen.

"A high-energy guy. He really plays hard. I mean, I like intelligent football players. He really, one of the things you see with him is, obviously, his dad is a coach, and you can see that with his attention to detail with all the little things," Mullen said of the freshman defensive back. "Whether we’re in special teams or whether we’re on defense, his attention to detail to try to do it right really stands out.”

With that vote of confidence from his head coach, it's easy to assume McMilon will see the field at least on special teams but can he progress enough to get significant snaps on defense?

Starter: Rashad Torrence

Backup: Mordecai McDaniel

Torrence got a leg up by enrolling early and used that to gain early playing time, including three starts at safety. McDaniel tallied 25 total tackles over the course of his freshman season. He registered a career-best and season-high eight defensive stops in his collegiate debut against Ole Miss.

McDaniel is a nice young player. He's a former track star who plays downhill with physicality. His athleticism really fuels his upside and with a full year in the system, he's a player that should get a lot of playing time if not push for a starting job.