GAINESVILLE — Florida has bolstered the Gators’ beleaguered lines of scrimmage with experienced transfers Joey Slackman and Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson.
Slackman, a defensive tackle, was the 2023 Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year and deemed one of the top defensive players in the NCAA transfer portal. Crenshaw-Dickson started 36 games the past three seasons for the Aztecs.
The 6-foot-4, 300-pound Slackman registered 50 tackles, with 12 for loss — 4 of them sacks.
He told ESPN.com, coach Billy Napier and his staff, “did the best job of building that relationship with me and explaining to me how I would fit into their defense and how I can help them not just win on the field with my football play, but as a leader.”
The 6-foot-6, 310-pound Crenshaw-Dickson started 18 games at left tackle and 19 at right tackle, including 14 times in 2021 when he allowed just 1 sack.
UF also received a commitment last week from top junior college edge player Brien Taylor Jr. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound Houston native played the past two seasons at Blinn C.C., where he rose to become the nation’s No. 3 JUCO defensive line prospect and No. 10 overall prospect, per 247Sports.
In a strange twist, former UF starting right tackle Michael Tarquin could return to Gainesville after a season at USC, he announced on Twitter. The 6-foot-5, 320-pound Ocala native started seven games in 2022, but also suffered a Week 2 foot injury that held him back.
The 2023 Gators struggled in the trenches on both sides of the ball during a 5-7 season.
Florida managed just 22 sacks, more than just two SEC teams, and allowed 39, more than just three of the league’s 14 squads.
The lack of a consistent pass rush left the Gators’ secondary vulnerable. UF allowed 18 completions of more than 40 yards, most in the nation, and managed just 3 interceptions, tied with…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/uf-football-transfer-tracker-gators-024500476.html
Author : Orlando Sentinel
Publish date : 2023-12-18 02:45:00
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