As fall camp for Florida is about to ramp up, a ton of focus has been placed on the quarterback battle for the Gators and the cache of skill-position guys that should make for an exciting offense in 2026. What hasn’t received as much attention is the defensive side, beyond the main starters like Myles Graham and Jayden Woods.
We wanted to look at some of the players who might get an increased role in 2026, or at least are going to push for one in fall camp. These are four Gators on the defensive side who took fewer than 300 snaps last year and could wind up being key contributors by the time all is said and done this year.
Four Florida Gators defenders who could earn bigger roles in 2026
LJ McCray
- 2025 snaps: 4
- Potential role: Starting or high-volume rotational defensive lineman opposite Jayden Woods
- Fall-camp question: Can he stay healthy and finally turn his five-star potential into consistent production?
It feels like anytime we have done any variation of “Florida players who need to step up” or “Wildcards for the Gators,” that LJ McCray is the one player we keep coming back to. As we have pointed out with McCray all offseason, 2026 is kind of his make-or-break year as a Gator. The one-time five-star prospect has had a rough go of things in Gainesville to this point. He played some as a true freshman but with minimal impact, and his 2025 campaign lasted all of four snaps before it was derailed with injury.
If he can find that five-star potential and pair up on the other side of Woods, Florida’s defensive line could be a wrecking ball in 2026.
Ben Hanks III
- 2025 snaps: 148
- Potential role: Rotational cornerback and primary backup on the outside
- Fall-camp question: Can he build on his promising performance against FSU and earn consistent snaps?
Even though he is a legacy Gator, he had a quiet freshman campaign in 2025 despite being a borderline five-star prospect out of Miami. Hanks took 148 snaps last year, but he only appeared in three total games and redshirted. Most notably, he took 66 snaps against FSU and allowed only two receptions despite being targeted five times.
Coming out of spring camp, Hanks looked to be on the second unit, but there should be plenty of opportunities for him to work his way into the rotation.
Lagonza Hayward
- 2025 snaps: 128
- Potential role: Third safety and rotational defensive back behind Bryce Thornton and DJ Coleman
- Fall-camp question: Can his physical tackling and continued development push him into Florida’s regular safety rotation?
The setup at safety is going to be another area to keep an eye on. Bryce Thornton is probably entrenched as a starter, and Florida went out and got DJ Coleman from Baylor in the portal. Thornton and Coleman seemed to have the edge coming out of camp.
But Hayward was a top 100 overall prospect from the class of 2025 and took 128 snaps last season as a true freshman. He didn’t necessarily have a huge impact with those snaps, but he was a willing enough of a tackler that should continue to catch the eye of Sumrall in camp.
Ty Jackson
- 2025 snaps: 7
- Potential role: Top reserve linebacker and a physical option in run-defense situations
- Fall-camp question: Can he separate himself from Florida’s other backup linebackers and prove he can be trusted when the starters need a break?
The linebacker setup for Florida is set in stone in terms of starters, with Myles Graham, Aaron Chiles, and Jaden Robinson getting the bulk of the snaps. But if any of them get hurt or if Sumrall is looking for someone to bring the boom, don’t forget about former top 150 overall prospect Ty Jackson.
Jackson was a thumper as a prospect, and like Hayward, we wouldn’t be shocked if he gets a run before the season is over.
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