Dan Mullen often called Kyle Pitts a unicorn. His combination of size, speed, athleticism, and strength made him rare, like the fictional creature. Florida is looking for someone else like that on the other side of the ball to play its Star position.

With the game continually changing, offenses getting more and more pass-happy, and offensive players getting bigger and faster, the Star position needs to be able to do a multitude of things.

Tre'vez Johnson came to Florida in 2020. A cornerback in high school at Bartram Trail, he honed his coverage skills but he also is a sure tackler, racking up 15 during his freshman season.

"Last year he was kind of thrown in the fire, and kind of learned on the run a little bit, but he's a very conscientious guy," defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said. "He's really worked hard in the offseason to understand the nuances of that position along, along with understanding those things as well as developing in the weight room."

Now, heading into his second season, Johnson will be asked to be a unicorn for the Gators on defense. Florida's star position asks a lot of the person playing it. You have multiple responsibilities. One play you're tasked with covering quick, nimble slot receivers. The next, a big tight, physical tight end, and of course you have blitzing and run responsibilities as well. You have to be versatile to play Star, and you better know the playbook inside and out.

"That position is one that, you know, you've got to be able to come up and set the edge on perimeter bubbles, and those kinds of things. You got to be able to blitz a little bit, and then you've got to be able to cover," Grantham said of the position responsibilities. "So, you know, we obviously asked a lot of him but you know we feel comfortable with his talents that he'll be able to do those things and we look forward to, you know, watching him show his progression as we move forward to the season.”

So why does Johnson fit the bill?

“That’s kind of like a hybrid position so you gotta be able to do a lot of things. So I’m just trying to improve my game whether it be covering, whether it be me being in the box tackling, fitting up and being physical," Johnson said. And just watching how Chauncey and other guys in the league doing it at a high level I just try to take a little bit from their game too.

"I was a corner in high school. I played a little safety, too. It wasn't too much of a surprise to me. I believe that I was versatile enough coming out of high school to play wherever they wanted me to play. So it wasn’t too much of an adjustment.”

Johnson's playing a role that is critical. Florida hasn't had a player really seize that role and run with it since Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, who made the move there his junior season and has turned that into a career with the New Orleans Saints. Johnson is still young, but he's he's been a quick study and he certainly has the physical attributes and skills to make it work.

"Tre’Vez he has a skill set now to be, you know, one of the best guys in this league at that position which that is a hard position," secondary coach Wesley McGriff said. "Tre'Vez definitely has the skill set and the mindset to be a really good one in this league."