On November 26th, 2017, the Florida Gators hired former Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen as their new head coach. It was a big day for Gator Nation as Mullen won two National Championship at Florida as the offensive coordinator. He was a perfect hire for the Gators as he brought confidence and swagger to Gainesville. He also signed some very talented high school seniors who will be entering their freshman year in college.
2018 Florida Gators Defense Impact Freshman
Florida’s 2018 recruiting class finished strong, signing some of the top recruits in the country, especially on defense. Mullen hired a few of his staff at Mississippi State to keep Florida’s defense elite. Some of those 2018 signees could be contributors on the Gators defense. Here are three freshmen who could make an impact on the 2018 Florida Gators defense.
1. DB Trey Dean
One of the biggest commitments for the Florida Gators 2018 recruiting class was Georgia native Trey Dean. The former Tennessee commit was a big target for the Gators when Florida hired Charlton Warren as their cornerback coach. Dean was originally committed to Warren as he was the defensive back coach at Tennessee. The Under Armour All-American committed and signed early with Florida on National Signing Day along with Quarterback Emory Jones.
Dean has enjoyed success early on in fall camp and was also one of the top performers in the Under Armour All-American Game. Dean should receive playing time this season as a safety or cornerback. He possesses the size of a safety but is also more than capable of playing cornerback behind Marco Wilson and C.J. Henderson.
2. LB David Reese
Another former four-star recruit that could have an immediate impact on Florida’s defense is David Reese. Important to note, the Gators already have an established linebacker named David Reese but the younger Reese could be a special player at Florida. During his recruiting process, Reese committed to the Gators over Alabama, Miami, and Michigan. Reese was a hot commodity but Florida was able to keep him in the class.
Reese has shown some early signs of promise. He could add some much-needed depth at linebacker. He can also play safety if needed, but he will likely be an outside linebacker at Florida. Resse could be a very solid pass rusher for the Gators in the near future.
3. DE Andrew Chatfield
On National Signing Day, the Gators landed two elite defensive ends. One of those defensive ends was the four-star recruit, Andrew Chatfield. The American Heritage defensive end was one of the top pass rushers in the country last year. He’s an athletic defensive end who could also see playing time at linebacker. He has a quick first step and his agile enough to get around offensive lineman.
Chatfield was a huge steal for the Gators as he signed with Florida over Miami. In a loaded defensive end group, Chatfield will need to fight to get some playing time. If he does play this season, it will likely be in third-down situations. With his speed, he can get to the backfield quickly and get to the quarterback.
Leaning On The Defense
The Gators have relied on their defense for several years now. Even with the hire of Mullen, it could be the same in 2018. If so, these three impact freshmen could play a pivotal role.
