25 former college football players destined to be future head coaches

9. Jevon Kearse, former Florida defensive end

The term “freak athlete” has been coined to describe athletes with elite tools. Whether they possess high-end speed for their size or unusual power, the freak athlete, once a rarity has now become a more frequent occurrence. In the 1990s, however, there was one man who owned the nickname, “The Freak.” That was former Florida stand-out, Jevon Kearse.

As a player, Kearse embodied all of the attributes of the modern defensive end. Kearse began his career as a safety when he arrived in Gainsville. Kearse’s body matured and he got bigger, faster and stronger. The high school All-American would continually move down the box as a linebacker and eventually excelling as a defensive end.

What was most unique about Kearse was his ability to put on mass and not lose any speed or agility. At 265 pounds, Kearse ran a 4.43 40-yard dash and had an 86-inch vertical leap. Those earned Kearse the nickname “The Freak.”

Consider defensive ends like Jadeveon Clowney, Chase Young, Nick and Joey Bosa. All with freakish athletic traits usually reserved for wide receivers. There would be no better coach for defensive ends of that stature than the man who was the original freak.