The Florida Gators’ first commit and first signee for the Class of 2024 was linebacker Myles Graham who has been a Gator since birth.
Graham is the son of former Gators’ running back Earnest Graham and the linebacker is hoping he can help the Gators get back to the top of the college football world.
The linebacker will arrive on campus in two weeks and Graham says he will give it his all to get Florida back to its glory days.
“The University of Florida is everything to me and I want to be a catalyst to help them get back, help us get back to where it used to be, to dominance over the country,” Graham said on getting Florida back on top. “I think we can do that; I think we have the right guys, the right tools in place and we’re going to do it here very soon. It’s important to me, I put everything I have into it, I put my blood, sweat, and tears into the University of Florida to help us get back to where we used to be.”
One thing that Graham believes is needed in the program is leadership and guys playing as a team together.
“I think we need leadership,” he said on what the program needs. “I think we need guys to come together, and rally together and just put their all onto the field. We have the talent; we just need the play callers to be in the right place for us to be successful and that’s on and off the field. We have a lot of work to do in the weight room and learning the new scheme.”
The role of being a leader and a captain is something that Graham wants to do but he knows he must first earn that role from the veterans in the locker room.
“That’s the best thing I can do and that’s the role that the coaches see me having,” Graham said on his feeling that role. “Being a leader, the linebacker is kind of the leader of the defense so I need to be as vocal as I can but still earn my way and work my way to the top. I have to work really hard to earn those guys’ respect so that they do listen to me.”
Graham also has a personal goal for himself and that’s to be a starter on the Gators’ defense next fall.
“I hope so,” he said on starting day one. “That’s the goal, that’s the dream, I got to work for it, I’m going to grind for it.”
While being a freshman starter is tough, Graham sees the opportunity to overcome that task because of the need for linebackers.
“It’s a big opportunity,” Graham said on Florida needing linebackers. “Having the opportunity to come play and play a role in my dream school is all I can really ask for. Having Napier say that, it means a lot to me and it makes me go even harder. Having that opportunity, it’s just something that I got to go get, can’t just sit back, and let it come to me, I got to go grab it, so that’s what I’m going to do.”
To start next year, Graham knows that he has to improve this spring both on and off the field.
“I think I just need to be the best version of myself on and off the field,” he said on what he needs to improve on to start. “Sharpening my mind, sharpening my body, working hard, getting in the weight room, and doing everything that I can to be the best version of myself for my teammates and everyone in the program.”
While starting is the goal for Graham, the linebacker just wants to win and he plans to let everyone know what it takes to win at Florida.
“You got to have pride for the logo, you got to ride hard for the University of Florida, that Gator that you wear across your chest,” Graham said. “That blue and orange man, you just got to eat, sleep and breathe it man, let it ride through your veins. The winning factor will produce itself on the field if you do that.”