The 10th in a position-by-position look at the 2026 Gators leading up to fall camp:
What to expect
Veteran safety Bryce Thornton's steady improvement, experience and nose for the ball have positioned him to lead the back end of the Gators' secondary. Donning the No. 1 jersey in 2026, the 5-foot-10, 211-pound senior aims to build on a breakout season.
A 37-yard touchdown return of a recovered fumble in the opener against Long Island University was Florida's first touchdown of the season and spurred the highly productive season for Thornton. He finished with 56 tackles, a team-leading six pass breakups, five quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries, a sack and a forced fumble. A season earlier, Thornton's 14-tackle, two-interception effort during the Gators' upset of Ole Miss in 2024 was among the top defensive performances at Florida in recent memory.
Following three-year starter Jordan Castell 's departure to Kentucky, Baylor transfer DJ Coleman emerged during spring practice, culminating with an interception in the spring Blue Game that showcased 6-foot, 209-pound senior's anticipation and fit for Brad White's defense .
Competing with Coleman to team with Thornton will be sophomores Drake Stubbs and Lagonza Hayward, a pair of former 4-star prospects. UF also signed versatile Kentucky transfer Cam Dooley and 2025 Under Armour All-American safety Kaiden "KD" Hall.
Meanwhile, walk-on Alfonzo Allen Jr. burst onto the scene in 2025 against Mississippi State, becoming the first Gator since 2021 to record 15 tackles in a game. The 5-foot-11, 197-pound Miami native finished the season with 34 stops in six appearances and could factor as a redshirt senior.
The 6-foot-1, 209-pound Hayward also could impact at nickeback, as could Dooley. The rangy 6-foot-2, 205-pound junior followed White from Kentucky after recording 30 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble in 2025.
UCLA transfer Kayne Clark might have the inside track at nickelback. The 5-foot-10, 181-pound redshirt junior was one of the tone-setters during the offseason programs and turned heads during spring practice. He tallied 23 tackles along with two pass breakups and a forced fumble in nine games at both cornerback and at nickel in 2025.
Elijah Owens, a 6-foot-2, 208-pound transfer from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, is an intriguing prospect after compiling 65 tackles, an interception and three passes defended last season. Freshman Dylan Purter, an Alabama native who flipped his commitment from LSU, will also compete for snaps at nickel. He had 97 solo tackles and three interceptions as a senior at Booker T. Washington High in Tuskegee.
Returnees
Alfonzo Allen Jr., redshirt senior
Lagonza Hayward, sophomore
Brayden Slade, redshirt junior
Drake Stubbs, sophomore
Bryce Thornton, senior
Departures
Jordan Castell (transfer to Kentucky): 54 tackles, two interceptions, two hurries
Sharif Denson (transfer to Ole Miss): 53 tackles, one interception, one hurry
Aaron Gates (transfer to Kentucky): seven tackles
Josiah Davis
Arrivals
Kayne Clark (redshirt junior; UCLA)
DJ Coleman (senior; transfer Baylor)
Cam Dooley (junior; transfer Kentucky)
Kaiden Hall (freshman, Milton)
Elijah Owens (sophomore, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College)
Dylan Purter (freshman, Tuskegee, Alabama)
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
