After boasting one of the top defenses in the country that catapulted an overachieving offense to a spot in the SEC title game last season, the Florida Gators will lose many starters on the defensive side of the ball.

The Gators could boast one of the top defensive units again in 2016 with another successful recruiting class, which includes several athletic and highly ranked defensive backs.

But perhaps the best news for Florida on National Signing Day is the Gators had a school-record 12 early enrollees already on campus and participating in offseason conditioning.

For a program that continues to learn a new offense — and find consistency at the quarterback position — enrolling early was critical for second-year coach Jim McElwain.

The Gators added a 26th player, as well, in quarterback Austin Appleby, a fifth-year senior transfer student.

Class of 2016 signee roster

Name Position Height Weight Hometown High School  
McArthur Burnett DB 5-9 157 Pahokee Pahokee Early Enrollee
Stone Forsythe OL 6-7 309 Winter Garden West Orange Early Enrollee
Feleipe Franks QB 6-6 214 Crawfordville Wakulla Early Enrollee
Chauncey Gardner DB 5-11 197 Cocoa Cocoa Early Enrollee
Josh Hammond WR 6-1 179 Hallandale Hallandale Early Enrollee
Dre Massey WR 5-9 184 Greenville, South Carolina Mauldin JUCO
Eddy Pineiro K 6-0 178 Miami Sunset JUCO
David Reese LB 6-0 240 Farmington, Michigan Farmington Early Enrollee
Jordan Smith DL 6-5 225 Lithonia, Georgia Lithonia Early Enrollee
Freddie Swain WR 6-0 177 Ocala North Marion Early Enrollee
Mark Thompson RB 6-2 228 La Mott, Pennsylvania Cheltenham JUCO
Kyle Trask QB 6-4 230 Manvel, Texas Manvel Early Enrollee
Brett Heggie OL 6-3 314 Mount Dora Mount Dora 7:19 a.m.
Jachai Polite DL 6-2 259 Daytona Beach Mainland 8:01 a.m.
Jawaan Taylor OL 6-5 347 Cocoa Cocoa 8:27 a.m.
Lamical Perine RB 5-11 218 Theodore, Alabama Theodore 9:08 a.m.
Rick Wells WR 6-0 200 Jacksonville Raines 9:47 a.m.
C.J. McWilliams DB 5-11 163 Miami Southwest 10:15 a.m.
Antonneous Clayton DL 6-3 235 Vienna, Georgia Dooly County 10:30 a.m.
Vosean Joseph LB 6-1 215 Miami Norland 10:44 a.m.
Tyrie Cleveland WR 6-2 194 Houston, Texas Westfield 11:16 a.m.
Jeawon Taylor DB 6-0 191 Montgomery, Alabama Park Crossing 11:33 a.m.
Quincy Lenton DB 5-11 207 Meridian, Mississippi Meridian 11:37 a.m.
Jeremiah Moon LB 6-4 207 Hoover, Alabama Hoover 11:58 a.m.
Joseph Putu DB 6-2 195 Providence, Rhode Island Mount Pleasant JUCO