Florida Football: One Word for Every Projected Defensive Starter

In a follow up to an article last week where I assigned a single word that described every projected offensive starter for the Florida Gators, I'm going to do the same with the defense. 

Florida has most of their top 10 defense from a year ago coming back and should have one of the most formidable defenses in the nation. With an offense that is still trying to adjust to a new coordinator and is searching for playmakers, the defense will have to carry the load early on. 

The Gators defensive unit is littered with NFL talent and should be fun to watch this fall. 

BUCK: Lerentee McCray

Word: Adequate

Ronald Powell was having as good a spring camp as any Gator, and losing him to a torn ACL is a big blow. Powell led the Gators with six sacks last season and looked to finally be settling into his role in the defense. 

There are several players who Muschamp and co. will use to fill the void left at this position, Dante Fowler (Fr.) and Jonathan Bullard (Fr.) will both work at the position once they arrive on campus. For now, it seems that Lerentee McCray will fill in until Powell is healthy enough to return. 

McCray was having a solid 2011 campaign until a shoulder injury sidelined him for four of the final five games. He is an athletic player who can get after the quarterback. While he might not be as successful as Powell, he is a more than adequate replacement in the short term. 

Defensive Tackle: Dominique Easley

Word: Quick

Dominique Easley missed spring camp after having surgery to repair a torn ACL. Easley is expected to be a full participant in fall camp and should be ready for the first game on September 1. 

Easley has one of the quickest first steps of any interior linemen in the nation and is a disruptive force along the line. Easley usually drew double-teams, and while he wasn't able to beat double-teams during the year, he opened holes for the linebackers and is great against the run. 

Getting Easley back is not only great for the Gators on the field, but off the field as well. Easley's positive demeanor and energy on and off the field amounts to a crucial spark plug for the Gators. 

Nose Tackle: Omar Hunter

Word: Big

At 6'1'', 314 pounds, the best word to describe Omar Hunter is big. 

Hunter came on in the second half of the season last year and will look to keep that momentum going into 2012. 

A fifth-year senior, this will be a chance for Hunter to go out on top as a Gator and show NFL scouts that he has what it takes to play at the next level. Much like Jaye Howard, Hunter has been looked over by NFL teams, but could use a solid senior season to push his way up into the draft. 

Defensive End: Sharrif Floyd

Word: Versatility

Sharrif Floyd is the ultimate team player. Recruited as a defensive tackle, Floyd moved outside to end, in order to help the team. 

While Floyd is capable of playing end, he is definitely a better tackle and showed just that last season.

After sitting out the first two games due to the "improper benefits" he accepted in order to afford attending the Army All-American game in high school, Floyd recorded zero sacks in his first 10 games playing at end. After Easley went down with an injury, Floyd moved back inside for the bowl game, where he had 1.5 sacks and played his best game of the year. 

If any player is capable of playing multiple positions along the defensive line, it is Floyd. But Muschamp and Dan Quinn know he is better inside, and have said that Floyd and Easley will rotate between tackle and end this season. 

Strongside Linebacker: Michael Taylor or Antonio Morrison

Word: Breakout

Michael Taylor and Antonio Morrison will battle it out in the fall for the right to be the starting SAM linebacker. Taylor is a redshirt sophomore who is more of an inside linebacker, while Morrison is a freshman who enrolled early and impressed in the spring. 

Taylor got his feet wet last season, recording 36 tackles in mainly backup duty. Taylor is the middle linebacker of the future, but could earn a chance to earn a starting role now. 

Morrison is a hard-hitting physical linebacker who impressed coaches with his tackling ability. Morrison needs to continue to bulk up, but had an impressive showing in the spring game where he had nine tackles. Morrison is probably slightly behind Taylor at the moment, but either player could start and would have a breakout season until Ronald Powell is ready to return. 

Middle Linebacker: Jonathan Bostic

Word: Leader

The middle linebacker is usually the quarterback of the defense. They are responsible for relaying the play from a coach on the sideline to his team and acting as a force in the middle of the field. 

Bostic is a leader in every sense of the word. He led the team in tackles with 94 a season ago and seems to always be around the ball. Bostic moves well for an inside linebacker and is stout against the run. 

Bostic has benefited from a new strength and conditioning coach and came into spring camp noticeably bigger than he was a season ago. That added bulk will be felt by opposing offensive players, and he is another senior who will be looking to impress NFL scouts this season. 

Weakside Linebacker: Jelani Jenkins

Word: Hands

Bostic isn't the only Gator who has really taken to Jeff Dillman's new conditioning program, as Jelani Jenkins looks like he has been spending a lot of time in the gym this offseason as well. 

When not in the gym, Jenkins has been in front of the JUGS machine working on his hands. The Gators dropped 15 easy interceptions last season and Jenkins was the biggest culprit with six on his own. Jenkins has taken some friendly ribbing from his teammates and is working hard on being able to create turnovers. 

If Jenkins and the defense can hold onto the ball this season, the Gators will be serious contenders to win the SEC East. 

Cornerback 1: Marcus Roberson

Word: Healthy

Neck injuries are some of the scariest injuries in all of sports. 

A neck injury cost Marcus Roberson the last three games of his freshman season, but the young corner was impressive prior to that. Although he did not play in the spring game and wasn't in any contact drills during the spring, all signs point to Roberson being ready on September 1. 

He was only the third freshman cornerback to start his first game at Florida (the other two being Joe Haden and Janoris Jenkins), which should tell you the kind of player Roberson can be. 

Like Haden and Jenkins, expect Roberson to take a big step in his progression and start to become the kind of lockdown corner that Gators fans have come to expect. 

Cornerback 2: Loucheiz Purifoy

Word: Surprise

The number on Purifoy's back has become synonymous with a certain player in Florida football—and it's not him.

Purifoy saw action in all 13 games during his freshman season and impressed the coaching staff enough during the spring to move into the starting lineup. Muschamp and Quinn like big, physical corners, and at 6'1", 190 pounds, Purifoy fits the bill.

Going into spring, most thought that the second cornerback spot would go to the either Cody Riggs or Jaylen Watkins, but Riggs has plummeted down the depth chart and Watkins was out-played by Purifoy.

With Riggs likely to play more at safety and nickel, Purifoy looks like the early favorite to be the opening day starter across from Roberson.  

Strong Safety: Matt Elam

Word: Physical

In his first full season as a starter, Matt Elam led the team in interceptions (two) and was second on the team with 78 tackles. 

Elam is a big, physical safety who loves to come down into the box and get after the ball-carrier. Elam is the heart of the Gators' secondary and will be a leader on defense this season. 

Free Safety: Josh Evans

Word: Experienced

Of the projected defensive starters on defense, only Omar Hunter (43) and Jon Bostic (38) have more appearances than Josh Evans (34). 

Evans is looking to turn over a new leaf for his final season in Gainesville and changed his number from 24 to 9 to remind himself of just that. Evans was mainly a special teams player his first two seasons and didn't make his first start until late in his sophomore year, where he started three times. 

Freshman De'Ante "Pop" Saunders got the starting nod at the beginning of the season last year, but Evans overtook him and earned eight starts in his junior season. 

Evans brings experience to what is mostly a young Gator secondary and will look to go out on top in his last season as a Gator.