Billy Napier announced yesterday that defensive lineman Jamari Lyons broke his ankle during Saturday’s scrimmage and will be out for the 2024 season. Lyons, a former four-star recruit from Viera High, played 198 snaps last season in a rotational role and was expected to take on a similar workload in 2024.
While the Gators have players who could step up in Lyons’ absence, replacing his versatility will be a challenge for Florida this season.
Napier highlighted Lyons’ flexibility in his press conference, noting his ability to play both inside and at the end.
“There will be some adjustments,” Napier said. “But the biggest thing is that Jamari (Lyons) could play both nose and end. That’s where we’ll need to shuffle things around.”
According to Pro Football Focus, Lyons lined up in the A gap 76 times and the B gap 110 times last season. He was more effective against the run than as a pass rusher, but his ability to fill multiple roles added value to the team.
Napier suggested that Michai Boireau and Kelby Collins could step into the snaps Lyons was expected to take.
Boireau, a true freshman listed at 6’5″ and 351 pounds, had a unique journey to fall camp, initially committing to Florida, de-committing in September, and then re-committing in December. He would likely take on the inside snaps Lyons was slated for.
Collins, who played 274 snaps last season with most of them on the edge, recorded three sacks and 15 hurries as a true freshman. He could inherit the outside snaps from Lyons.
Napier also mentioned the possibility of moving Tyreak Sapp back inside. Sapp played EDGE last year after Justus Boone’s injury, having played inside during the 2022 season. While Sapp was effective on the outside, his 7.7% “win rate” was below average for defensive ends with at least 100 pass rush attempts.
Though depth on the outside is limited, with Sapp potentially starting on the edge this year, Napier may consider shifting him back inside if he feels that players like Collins, Kamram James, or five-star freshman LJ McCray can adequately cover the outside.
In summary, Lyons was expected to play about 15 to 20 snaps per game, and while his absence complicates things, Napier has several options to fill those snaps.
