Florida Football: 5 things to watch during 2019 spring game

2. Defensive newcomers

The defensive side of the ball often gets lost in the shuffle during the spring game. Rules are slanted to benefit the offense and you’ll (hopefully) never see a defensive player light up an offensive teammate.

That being said, Florida welcomed several talented defenders as early enrollees this spring who could have an immediate impact in the spring game and the upcoming season. The Orange and Blue game provides fans their first opportunity to see these players compete in the Gator uniform at the Swamp.

Keep an eye on defensive back Chris Steele. As one of the centerpieces of the 2018 recruiting class, Steele has the talent and competitive spirit to see the field during the upcoming season. Observing his coverage of Florida’s deep wide receiver unit will be an interesting competition.

Additionally, Mohamoud Diabate figures to get plenty of opportunities during the spring game. With the loss of Jachai Polite to the NFL draft, the Gators are looking for their next dominant pass rusher. Diabate has the skill set, but needs to prove his chops during the spring game to receiver further opportunities.

And speaking of pass rushers, the Gators also added Jon Greenard to the program this spring. Greenard is expected to compete for starting-status at the buck position. The spring game will provide insight into how much the coaches trust the graduate-transfer and how quickly he has learned the defensive scheme.