Redshirt junior edge rusher George Gumbs Jr. lived in Samford’s backfield last Saturday, totaling three tackles for loss, one sack, and one QB hurry in Florida’s 45-7 victory over the Bulldogs.
Just by looking at his physique, you would think Gumbs Jr. was a four or five-star recruit with just about every offer in the book. You may be surprised to find out that the Chicago, Illinois native was a walk-on at Northern Illinois, and even more surprised that this is just his second year playing defense.
Gumbs Jr. was a three-star wide receiver recruit out of Simeon High School who was just starting to talk with Power 5 teams before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
“Once it happened the whole school year pretty much ended,” Gumbs Jr. said on how Covid hurt his recruitment. “I had like two MAC offers from Bowling Green and Western Michigan and I was starting to talk to like the Power 5 schools in the Big Ten. Then once COVID struck it went dark for a while. Once the recruitment started back up I fell all the way down to like D2 and FCS. It was terrible. I feel like at that young age it was so hard for me. I knew I could play at a high level, at a good school. I didn’t have the chance. I just took my chance and walked on.”
Gumbs Jr started his collegiate career at wide receiver for NIU before transitioning into a tight end. It wasn’t until the 2023 season that Gumbs Jr. played on defense for the very first time and earned a division one scholarship.
“I had to bet on myself,” Gumbs Jr. said. “I knew what I was. I knew what I could do. I eventually earned a scholarship, so I was correct.”
Gumbs Jr. finished the 2023 season with 32 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, three quarterback hurries, and two forced fumbles across seven starts. His production and athleticism from his first season on defense caught the eye of Florida’s transfer portal evaluation department.
“He had a really good year, put some special plays on tape,” head coach Billy Napier said on Gumbs Jr. “So I think just the guy who stayed the course when maybe others would have hung it up, I think he stayed the course.”
“I just think the guy’s resilient. He’s tough and his work habits are second to none,” Napier added.
Gumbs Jr. is one of the more athletic guys on Florida’s roster. His twitch, bend, and burst off the line of scrimmage make him a real threat as a pass rusher. You will be hard pressed to find the 6’4, 249-pound edge rusher taking plays off.
“I think maybe he’s gained 18 pounds. He’s physically a different guy He’s taken full advantage of the resources,” Napier said on Gumbs Jr. “And then you saw last week the motor or the effort. He’s done that all the way back to the training camp. In the team meeting, I don’t know how many times I’ve said ‘George Gumbs, his motor’s running hot. He’s a good one for sure.”
Gumbs Jr. believes the one thing he brings as an athlete is effort, which stems from his background as a former walk-on.
“I know how it feels to tread on thin ice,” Gumbs Jr. said. “You can’t make a mistake (as a walk on). It’s hard. Being a walk on is hard. You don’t get the same leeway as other athletes, highly recruited athletes. You don’t get treated the same. You have to be careful and intentional in everything that you do. Make sure it’s right. Sometimes you’re going to mess up, you just can’t let that get to your mind.”
From walk on receiver at NIU, to tight end, to edge rusher, George Gumbs Jr. has carved out a significant role on Florida’s 2024 squad. Through two games, Gumbs Jr. has logged the 7th most snaps on the Gators’ defense (71) and the most amongst Florida’s edge rushers. The future is bright for the redshirt junior as he continues to polish his technique and fundamentals on the defensive side of the ball.