After earning Freshman All-SEC honors last season, Myles Graham steps into a starting role this year. He stuffed the stat sheet with 30 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, a sack, an interception and a forced fumble in 13 games played.
The sophomore linebacker was one of 23 players selected by UF to be interviewed by the media this preseason. Here are five key quotes from Graham ahead of the upcoming campaign.
His fourth-down stop on JJ Pegues
QUOTE: “I’ve never seen that before. Never seen it in my life where a D-linemen is running the ball on fourth down, right? I wasn’t scared. It was “Let’s do it!” But we stopped it. It was fun. That was a big dude. We stopped it.”
CONTEXT: Last season Ole Miss used Pegues, a 325-pound defensive tackle, as a runner in short-yardage situations. Graham went head-to-head with Pegues and stuffed him on fourth-and-1 inside Florida’s 10-yard line for a turnover on downs. That marked the third time the Rebels failed to score in the red zone.
FLORIDA GATORS FORCE A TURNOVER IN THE REDZONE!!
OLE MISS STRUGGLES IN THE SWAP ON THE 0/3 in the redzone on 4th down!
#MISSvsUFpic.twitter.com/EBT3YqupDB
— The Highlight Reel (@Mikebalotti__) November 23, 2024
RELATED:‘A born leader’: Myles Graham ready to realize dreams at Florida
Florida’s linebacker room
QUOTE: “We’ve got a lot of talented guys, older and younger guys. We have a lot of guys that could start here. We have a lot of guys that could play anywhere, honestly. So, we’re all going to eat man. We all just want to see each other go out there and do what we do. We do have goals as a defense, and that’s just to be the best that we can be. Be the best defense that the Gators can be, and we’re going to play hard, play fast, play physical. We’re going to have to empty the tank, leave no doubt and just play.”
CONTEXT: Defensive coordinator Ron Roberts said the Gators have four NFL linebackers in Graham, Aaron Chiles, Grayson Howard and Jaden Robinson. Graham is expected to be a starter but any of the other three could start with him. Regardless, all four linebackers will play regularly in the rotation.
In-helmet communication
QUOTE: “I didn’t have it at all last year. It’s the real deal. I don’t have to look for the signal for plays. I can just listen to my coach. He usually knows what’s coming. Coach Roberts, he’s a great coach. He’s an old, wise guy. So he always he knows, usually, what the offense is going to run. So he helps me out with that. It helps me play faster, helps me play more physical, helps my teammates play faster, because I can tell them what he’s saying. They can get lined up, do what they need to do, so it’s next level. … He gets on me sometimes on the green dot. He has a few words for me if I mess up on the play, but it’s elite. It’s elite. I love having it in my ear.”
CONTEXT: With Howard out this offseason, Graham started working with the in-helmet communication in the spring and continued doing it in training camp. He said you can have the dot at the MIKE or WILL position, but he’s been cross-training at both spots to give the Gators another option at middle linebacker.
Influence of Shemar James
QUOTE: “Incredible. He’s a great leader and a great role model. That helped me a lot. We had Matthew Slater come in from the Patriots come in today and he talked to us about intentionality. That’s one of the things I learned from Shemar. He’s just intentional in everything. He was a great role model. He’d be first in line at practice. He would be the first linebacker in the building. He’d be the last to leave. He was a true pro. I learned a lot from Shemar. We have big shoes to fill. I’m excited to you know, make him proud and to see him play at the next level as well.”
CONTEXT: Graham played behind James last season at the WILL linebacker position, serving as his backup. James was a fifth-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys after 64 tackles in 13 starts as a junior. Graham is projected to take over for James at the WILL spot, but Chiles and Robinson can also play there.
Graham being praised by veterans
QUOTE: “Man, it is a blessing. It really means a lot to me. Being a young guy, you come in and you don’t want to let the older guys down. You feel like you have an obligation to them to put your best foot forward. They know you’re going to make some mistakes. It’s about what you do after that. How do you learn from it? So having that recognition … I still don’t want to let them down, even though I’m an older guy now. I want to be the best version of myself for them, for my teammates. I am a team guy. I want to be the best version of myself for them and have team success in the future.”
CONTEXT: Several starters on defense have praised Graham for stepping up as a leader this offseason, including Jordan Castell, Devin Moore and Tyreak Sapp. “He’s mature beyond his years,” Moore said of Graham.
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