Editor’s note: We’re breaking down the Gators’ two-deep depth chart every day for the next two weeks. We’ll cover every position as well as offer a glimpse into the future. You can read the whole series here.
SAFETY
The starters: Senior Jabari Gorman and sophomore Marcus Maye
The backups: Sophomore Keanu Neal and redshirt freshman Nick Washington
The rest: Redshirt freshman Marcell Harris
The lowdown: Four starting safeties have departed in the last two seasons -- Matt Elam, Josh Evans and Jaylen Watkins left for the NFL, and Cody Riggs transferred to Notre Dame. Most programs could not withstand that kind of exodus, but the Gators are not expecting much of a drop-off in 2014. With 37 games under his belt, Gorman is the veteran of this unit. He started five games last season and was sixth on the team with 48 tackles. He gives a young and inexperienced group a vocal leader to rely upon. Maye and Neal played in all of Florida's 12 games last season, mostly on special teams. Maye started the first two games of the season, but a couple of key mistakes kept him out of the starting lineup for the rest of the season. Still, his experience could give Maye an edge this fall. He'll have to hold off Neal, a physical presence, and two other talented redshirt freshmen. Washington and Harris missed last season with injuries, but both made solid impressions in spring practice. Harris, at 6-foot-1 and 208 pounds, has good range for his size. Washington is better in coverage and spent some time at cornerback and nickel during the spring.
The future: The Gators don't have overwhelming numbers at safety, but with their preference for bigger cornerbacks, it's possible that some position movement will occur down the road. Class of 2014 signee Quincy Wilson is one who comes to mind. He has the speed and athleticism to start his career at cornerback, but at 6-1 and 197 pounds, he could end up at safety. The same could be said of Florida's two 2015 cornerback commits, Marcus Lewis and Jalen Julius. UF coaches have the luxury of trying them at corner and moving them if they aren't earning playing time. The Gators are still looking for more in their next class. Deontai Williams, a hard-hitting ESPN 300 prospect, was the first pledge in the class. Florida's top remaining target is ESPN 300 athlete Jaquan Johnson.