Florida's defensive line coach and assistant head coach is the lone holdover from a year ago as first-year coach Jon Sumrall revamped the organization. Chatman joined the Gators in 2024. Before that, he was at Tulane – where Sumrall was head coach the past two seasons.
Chatman's decision to remain in Gainesville after overtures from the NFL provided a piece of continuity for UF's new staff.
Why did Sumrall make it a priority to keep him?
"When I first arrived in Gainesville, one of my first tasks was to retain Coach Chatman,'' Sumrall said when it was announced Chatman was staying. "He is a great developer of talent and one of the best defensive line coaches in the country."
While it's easy to see that Chatman acquires talent, retains it and produces results, he also knows the program, the people and, most importantly, he knows the players.
Besides four players going to the NFL, the Gators didn't lose much at the position. A couple of outgoing transfers, sure, but many core players, like Chatman, stuck around. While each player is important in his own right, the Gators knew they needed to keep Jayden Woods.
Woods sets the tone for UF's defensive line in 2026.
"He has a really, really high ceiling," Sumrall said. "He works as hard as anyone I've ever been around in my entire life. When you coach guys like that, it's fun."
Defensive line coach Gerald Chatman is the lone holdover from the 2025 coaching staff. (Photo: Maddie Washburn/UAA Communications)
OVERVIEW
The Gators enter 2026 with plenty of familiar faces on the defensive line, both starting and as reserves. Of the 21 players listed at JACK (edge rushers) or DL, 13 are returning. Those returners accounted for 57% of Florida's defensive-line snaps last season, providing the Gators a solid foundation after losing several key contributors. Woods led the way with 448 snaps as a true freshman. He co-led the team in sacks (3.5) to go along with 28 tackles, five tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries, one pass breakup, one fumble recovery and one interception. Woods' retention was a big offseason storyline, with Texas reportedly pushing to keep the talented sophomore. He was named to The Athletic's "Freaks List," and reportedly dominated the Gauntlet, a conditioning program rooted in competition installed by Florida's new Director of Football Performance Rusty Whitt.
There will be plenty of attention on Woods this season, and by now, opposing offenses certainly know who he is. Still, don't write off other Gators. Across from Woods, Kamran James appears poised to get a lot of reps on the edge. The senior stuffed the stat sheet in 2025, tying Woods with 3.5 sacks and recording 44 tackles. An Orlando native, James has played in every single game since arriving at UF. He started his freshman year primarily on special teams before working his way up the depth chart. Now a senior, he brings experience to a defensive line that will be asked to be more consistent. Inside, Brendan Bett and Joseph Mbatchou have seen their share of action. Bett, a former Baylor transfer, enters his second season at UF after recording three sacks in 2025, third on the team behind Woods and James. Sumrall has praised Bett's physicality, and his ability to stop the run while providing pressure could make him an important piece of the interior rotation. Mbatchou, meanwhile, is a homegrown Gator entering his second season. He played eight games last season, including a season-high 32 snaps in a win over Mississippi State. At 6-4 and more than 300 pounds, Bett and Mbatchou give the Gators substantial size in the middle.
They aren't the only returners who could make an impact. Defensive tackles Jeramiah McCloud and Jamari Lyons combined for 409 snaps last season. Neither may be a Week 1 starter, but both should have opportunities to play significant roles in the rotation. Kofi Asare is another name worth watching after appearing in all 12 games in his first season as a Gator. LJ McCray is perhaps the biggest wild card. McCray played just four snaps last season after an injury kept him out for most of fall camp and the season opener. A former highly regarded prospect, he now enters the season healthier and looking to establish himself in Sumrall and defensive coordinator Brad White's new system. The combination of McCray's size and athleticism gives Florida another potentially disruptive piece on the edge. Speaking of size and athleticism, the newcomers have plenty of it. Emmanuel Oyebadejo, a defensive end from Manchester, England, stands 6-6 and weighs 299 pounds. He was a Conference USA first-team selection a season ago at Jacksonville State, where his 4.5 sacks were tied for most on the team. DK Kalu, an NFL legacy, looks to help UF up the middle. Transferring from Baylor, Kalu played in eight games last season, starting six, collecting 10 tackles (five solo), four hurries and 0.5 TFLs. Southern Miss transfer Mason Clinton has the size and experience to become a solid depth tackle. Freshmen KJ Ford, JaReylan McCoy and Kendall Guervil all have the physical tools to push for playing time, giving Chatman perhaps more options as the season progresses.
If season started today: Florida could have roughly a dozen defensive linemen capable of handling meaningful reps. That's perhaps the biggest strength of this group. UF has 13 returners and eight newcomers to replace what was lost. The Gators have size and athleticism. And they have a defensive line coach who already knows much of the roster. The question is whether all of that translates into better production.
Speculation: Florida ranked near the bottom of the SEC in two critical defensive categories last season. The Gators recorded 26 sacks, which ranked 11th in the conference, while allowing 153.92 rushing yards per game, 14th in the SEC. That's the challenge for Chatman and White in 2026. Much of the personnel remains familiar. So why should the results be different? Florida will need its newcomers to contribute, its returning players to take another step, and its new defensive system to maximize the talent along the front. If that happens, the Gators have enough depth to make their defensive line one of the more improved units on the roster.
Quote of note: "I would say the D-line's really, really competitive. Like all those guys are going to play snaps. It's just who's going to play in certain packages and certain roles." — Sumrall on the overall unit
