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Jon Sumrall said it himself after the Texas game: the bye week gives him a chance to evaluate which players deserve more opportunities. Here are five Florida players who could earn more playing time over the final five games of the regular season.
LB Ty Jackson
This one is a no-brainer if you watched the Texas game. Sophomore linebacker Ty Jackson broke onto the scene with 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks and three tackles for stops in just 14 snaps. He also posted career-high PFF grades of 89.2 on defense and 88.1 in pass rush, both of which ranked fourth among FBS linebackers in Week 7.
Of course, this was just one game, and there are three veterans ahead of him on the depth chart. But Jackson provided a spark that has been missing. At 6-foot-2, 228 pounds, Jackson plays downhill with aggression. He’s got all the physical traits you could want from a middle linebacker.
Jackson has played just 40 defensive snaps this season, along with 26 on special teams.
RB London Montgomery
Senior running back London Montgomery has carved out a role as Florida’s kick returner, but he’s also been effective in the running game despite limited opportunities. Over the last two weeks, he’s rushed five times for 37 yards and caught an eight-yard pass.
Against South Carolina, Montgomery had one of Florida’s few successful runs of the game, a 17-yard jet sweep. It was his only touch in the contest. A week later against Texas, Montgomery totaled 29 yards on five touches and ran hard between the tackles while spelling Jadan Baugh.
Obviously, Baugh is going to handle the overwhelming majority of Florida’s carries. But with Duke Clark currently sidelined by an ankle injury and his return timetable unknown, Montgomery could provide a spark to the running game.
Montgomery has played just 37 offensive snaps this season, the fourth most among Florida running backs.
OL TJ Dice Jr.
Florida has to address the right tackle position. It’s possible the answer isn’t on this year’s roster, but second-year offensive tackle TJ Dice Jr., who garnered plenty of buzz in the offseason, has performed well in limited opportunities.
Dice Jr. has played 83 snaps across six games, with most of his work coming in the first two weeks and in mop-up duty against Missouri, South Carolina and Ole Miss. Among Florida offensive linemen with at least 50 snaps this season, he’s posted the fourth-best pass-blocking grade and the highest run-blocking grade.
All of his snaps have come at left tackle or when Florida has put an extra offensive lineman on the field, so he hasn’t played right tackle in his career. Still, the Gators should evaluate the right side of the line and determine what personnel changes need to be made. Dice Jr. would be my first look.
DL Stive-Bentley Keumajou-Yondui
This is a fascinating development. Stive-Bentley Keumajou-Youndui, an England native, didn’t enroll at Florida until fall camp after reclassifying to the 2026 recruiting class.
He had been working with the scout team all year before being thrown into a close game against Texas, where he recorded two tackles in just nine snaps. A week earlier against South Carolina, Keumajou-Youndui recorded a tackle for loss in just eight snaps.
Sumrall said Keumajou-Youndui earned the opportunity because he had been practicing at such a high level.
The game is still relatively new to him, but at 6-foot-3, 295 pounds, Keumajou-Youndui has the athletic ability to make an impact right now. He could provide Florida with depth and a spark along the defensive line, even if it’s just for 10 snaps a game.
CB CJ Bronaugh
Freshman cornerback CJ Bronaugh would have much more than one snap on the season if he were healthy, but he’s dealt with several injuries dating back to the offseason.
In an update 10 days ago, Sumrall said Bronaugh was available to “do some things” in practice. It may be too late in the season for Bronaugh to see significant action, but he flashed in fall camp and could provide help to a struggling secondary.
If he’s closer to full strength after the bye week, there’s a chance he contributes over the final five games.
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