After starting five games for the Florida Gators in the 2020 season, cornerback Jaydon Hill was a projected starter and expected to play opposite Kaiir Elam this season. Unfortunately, the Huntsville, Alabama native will now miss the entire 2021 campaign after tearing the ACL in his left knee during an injury that head coach Dan Mullen called a "massive disappointment."

"Just kind of a shame that stuff happens out there on the field," Florida's Mullen said.

It is unfortunate news for Hill, but the Gators have several options ready to step into the starting role at cornerback with Jadarrius Perkins, a Missouri transfer, and redshirt freshmen Avery Helm and Ethan Pouncey in the wings.

Bringing talent to the table, but still lacking the experience that Hill would have provided in 2021, is four-star recruit Jason Marshall from Miami.

Elijah Blades, a Texas A&M transfer, could also get a shot at seeing playing time in The Swamp. The former Aggie announced last week that he plans to transfer to Florida and join the team in Gainesville on Friday.

The road to rehabilitation for Jaydon Hill will be a long one, but the cornerback has done it before. He tore the ACL in his right knee during his senior year at Bob Jones High School in Alabama.

"You're looking at a young guy that's been through this once and came out on the positive end on the other side," Mullen said. "I think he understands how to come through it, what he needs to do, and how he can get through it and how it'll improve."