Florida football position preview: Experience anchors linebacker room

Florida returns almost its entire linebacker room from last season, bringing back 1,605 of the 1,641 snaps played at the position in 2025.

Linebackers coach Greg Gasparato has one of the most experienced groups on the roster. Myles Graham, Aaron Chiles and Jaden Robinson all played more than 450 defensive snaps last season, while sophomores Ty Jackson and Myles Johnson have continued to push for larger roles.

The position also carries some added significance under Jon Sumrall, a former linebacker who spent much of his coaching career working directly with the position. Florida's new defensive coordinator Brad White has a 3-4 foundation, but White can change the personnel and responsibilities of the linebackers depending on the package.

Here's a closer look at Florida's linebacker room heading into the 2026 season.

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Starting Linebacker: No. 5 Myles Graham (Jr.)

Graham is the unquestioned leader of the linebacker room after starting all 12 games and leading Florida with 76 tackles last season. He became the first Gators linebacker to lead the team in tackles since 2021 and was one of the most important players Sumrall and Florida's new coaching staff retained during the transition. Graham also helped convince several other key players to remain with the program.

At 6-feet-1-inch and 228 pounds, Graham has developed into a true three-down linebacker. He's at his best playing downhill, earning a 79.0 PFF run-defense grade last season, while also grading well as a tackler and pass rusher. Graham generated 15 pressures on just 56 pass-rush snaps, giving White another way to use the centerpiece of the linebacker room.

"I think we have an ability to play fast, but physical, play downhill," Graham said of the new defense. "I think the d-line will do the same, too, so just making the right play behind them, and zoning up and just creating turnovers. It will help us do that too."

Starting Linebacker: No. 8 Aaron Chiles (Jr.)

Chiles has matured from a rotational player to the other listed starter alongside Graham after appearing in every game last season and recording 52 tackles. He made his first career start against Tennessee, tying his career high with nine tackles in the process.

At 6-feet-3-inches and 238 pounds, Chiles gives Florida a different style of linebacker next to Graham. He primarily played in the box last season, but PFF also charted him with 42 snaps along the defensive line. Chiles can play off the ball, walk toward the line of scrimmage or handle SAM-type responsibilities in heavier packages.

In White's 3-4 scheme, the SAM is the strong-side linebacker, which lets Chiles play closer to the line of scrimmage. He can set the edge against the run, match up with tight ends in man coverage, blitz off the edge and drop into short-zone coverage.

Chiles also leaned out during the offseason and has continued to improve his understanding of coverage, giving Florida even more flexibility with how he's deployed.

"He is big, he's strong," Gasparato said. "I just think he's got a unique skill set and size at 240 pounds where you can use that guy a lot of different ways."

Veteran Rotation: No. 29 Jaden Robinson (Sr.)

Robinson is the most experienced linebacker on Florida's roster, appearing in 37 career games with 17 starts. He started all 12 games last season and finished with 50 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks.

The Week 1 two-deep gives Robinson a starting role, but he'll serve as a third linebacker and the first man off the bench when Chiles or Graham need a break. Robinson has experience playing multiple linebacker roles, giving White a veteran option when Florida changes personnel.

One of his best traits is his ability to create pressure as a blitzer, which makes him a natural fit for some of the SAM-style responsibilities in White's defense. PFF credited him with 17 pressures on 56 pass-rush snaps last season, including two sacks and 14 quarterback hurries.

Young Rotation: No. 7 Ty Jackson (So.) and No. 44 Myles Johnson (So.)

Both Jackson and Johnson spent most of their freshman seasons on special teams, but each has claimed a more distinct role in the rotation during the offseason. The Week 1 depth chart lists Johnson directly behind Graham, while Jackson is part of the rotation behind Chiles.

Jackson barely played defensively as a freshman, logging just seven defensive snaps. He appeared in eight games, mostly on special teams. His résumé coming into Florida was impressive: ESPN ranked him as the No. 1 inside linebacker and No. 54 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class after he recorded 391 tackles in 32 high school games.

The athleticism has carried over, but Jackson needed time to adjust to the speed and level of competition in the SEC. He's made significant progress with his awareness, confidence and play recognition, putting himself in position to earn meaningful defensive snaps.

"He's seeing things cleaner," Sumrall said. "His vision lines have improved. He's adjusting better. His spatial awareness has improved. He's always had great athletic traits. Now his football training is elevating."

At 6-feet-2-inches and 228 pounds, Jackson also gives Florida another explosive, downhill option in the middle of the defense.

Johnson appeared in all 12 games as a freshman and played a meaningful role on special teams, even though he played only 17 defensive snaps. Four of his five tackles came in the opener against LIU.

All 17 of Johnson's defensive snaps came in the box, but his special teams workload was much larger. PFF credits him with 60 snaps on kickoff coverage, 46 on kick return and 26 on punt return, giving him plenty of game reps, albeit in a different role.

The sample was tiny, but Johnson earned a 90.1 overall PFF grade across those 17 defensive snaps without missing a tackle. He's listed directly behind Graham entering Week 1, giving him a clear path to a much larger defensive role as a sophomore.

Johnson has also added size without sacrificing speed. He's one of the most athletic linebackers in the room. Gasparato singled him out as one of the biggest risers in the room during spring practice, and Sumrall continued to praise his effort during fall camp.

Bullard, the older brother of walk-on JACK Titus Bullard, transferred to Florida after four seasons at UCF, where nearly all of his playing time came on special teams. He appeared in 26 games for the Knights and recorded four career tackles.

In 2025, PFF charted Bullard for just 22 defensive snaps compared with 101 on special teams, including 38 on kickoff coverage, 36 on kick return and 20 on punt return.

At 6-feet-1-inch and 213 pounds, Bullard gives Florida another experienced special teams option and emergency depth at linebacker. He is listed in the backup rotation behind Chiles entering Week 1 but is more likely to make his biggest impact on coverage and return units.

His family has extensive ties to Florida. His father, Thaddeus Bullard, played defensive end for the Gators before becoming WWE star Titus O'Neil, and his uncle is former Florida running back Earnest Graham.

Morris arrives as another talented developmental option in an already crowded room. ESPN rated the Lakeland product as a four-star recruit, the No. 2 linebacker nationally and No. 179 overall player in the 2026 class.

He was named The Ledger's All-County Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 after recording 95 tackles, nine sacks and three forced fumbles. At 6-feet and 246 pounds, Morris already has the size and physicality to play in the SEC, but Florida's veteran depth should allow the staff to bring him along gradually.

Walk-Ons: No. 42 Matthew Kade (Jr.) and No. 52 Dylan Leighton (So.)

Kade joined Florida as a walk-on in 2024 and has yet to appear in a game. The Gainesville Buchholz product was a high school teammate of Graham and finished his senior season with 90 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and five sacks.

Leighton joined the program as a walk-on in 2025 and also has yet to appear in a game. Both provide additional developmental and practice depth behind an experienced scholarship rotation.