Although fall camp is nearly two months away, Florida's roster for the 2024 season is all but set, although further additions could be made in the near future. Following a 5-7 finish in Year 2 of theBilly Napierera, the Gators have once again significantly overhauled the roster during the offseason in the hopes of improving upon last season's record.
With spring camp in the books, Swamp247 is counting down Florida's 24 most important players for the 2024 season, continuing with cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. . at No. 3.
No. 24 Jake Slaughter
No. 23 Sharif Denson
No. 22 Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson
No. 21 Austin Barber
No. 20 Kahleil Jackson
No. 19 Arlis Boardingham
No. 18 Trikweze Bridges
No. 17 Kelby Collins
No. 16 Joey Slackman
No. 15 DJ Lagway
No. 14 Chimere Dike
No. 13 T.J. Searcy
No. 12 Jordan Castell
No. 11 Devin Moore
No. 10 Grayson Howard
No. 9 Tyreak Sapp
No. 8 Asa Turner
No. 7 Justus Boone
No. 6 Montrell Johnson
No. 5 Shemar James
No. 4 Cam Jackson
Player Profile
Height: 6-foot-0.5
Weight:205 pounds
Hometown:Miami
247Sports recruiting ranking: No. 29 overall prospect, No. 2-ranked cornerback in the class of 2021 in 247Sports' Composite Rankings
Career Statistics: Marshall started at cornerback in all 12 games in 2023. He led the team with a career-high 10 pass breakups for the second straight year, had 26 tackles (20 solo), 3.0 tackles-for-loss with 1.0 sacks. In 2022, he started at cornerback in 13 games and finished the season with 29 tackles, eight pass breakups, oneTFL, oneinterception, and a quarterback hurry
2024 Outlook:No one on Florida's defensive roster played as many snaps last season as Jason Marshall Jr., although he was open about the fact that his 2023 campaign didn't live up to either his internal or external expectations.
From a statistical standpoint, he started all 12 games at outside corner for the Gatorsin 2023 and pacedthe team with a career-high 10 pass breakups for the second straight year. Marshall also recorded 26 total tackles, including 3.0 for a loss, and 1.0 sack, marking the first solo quarterback takedown of his career.
But Marshall didn't grade out high in coverage, and he opted to return to Gainesville for his senior season rather than test the NFL Draft waters.
"I just felt like it was the best decision for me, and then my family, and also the team, to come back," Marshall said during spring camp. "I felt like I left a lot on the field, and then also to come back and get my degree, that was the biggest thing for myself and family, and then just to mention my team again, one last ride with them."
Once again, he'll be expected to lead the way in usage at outside cornerback, and the hope for Marshall and the Gators is the experience around him in the secondary leads to the level of play he desired ahead of the 2023 season. He should be a leader within the locker room for a team intent on proving skeptics to be incorrect this season.
Why No. 3:Expectations should be lofty for Marshall this season. While the 2023 campaign was not his best, he has immense talent, is an avid competitor and has spent the previous six months focused on showcasing his true capabilities.
Furthermore, the newfound veteran leadership around him should take some of the weight off of his shoulders, and he should be more knowledgeable of his coverage assignments in Florida's defensive scheme.
From a value perspective, Marshall remains the top option at outside cornerback, and there's a drop-off in experience behind him, as the Gators didn't prioritize the cornerback position via the NCAA's transfer portal, save for a late addition in Cormani McClain in mid-May. With Devin Moore having dealt with a variety of ailments in the past, the Gators have been able to rely upon Marshall to be a constant in the room, which only adds to his value.
I'm of the opinion Marshall will fare far better than he did last season, in a UF defense that will cut down on the number of explosive plays allowed.
If he has the season he expects to have, Marshall could very well hear his name called early in the 2025 NFL Draft.
"There's a lot of things that I left on the field that I could have done better, working on that, like technique-wise, could have did that much better last year," he said. "Just coming in this year with a fresh mindset and working on the things I need to work on."
