Florida Gators cornerback Dijon Johnson undergoing knee surgery
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — For the second week in a row, another defensive starter for the Florida Gators is undergoing surgery following an injury in a rivalry game. The latest is junior cornerback Dijon Johnson, who suffered a right knee injury in the loss at LSU.
Johnson will need surgery on his knee, Gators Online has confirmed. 247’s Graham Hall first reported that Johnson is undergoing surgery Monday and his knee injury “is his meniscus rather than his ACL.” He will be out for the foreseeable future.
Johnson made three starts this season and has eight tackles in four games played. He had his first career interception against LSU, which was also Florida’s first pick of the season. Johnson started four of the last five games in 2024 and recorded 25 tackles and two pass breakups.
With Johnson out, redshirt sophomore Cormani McClain will become a full-time starter at cornerback. He earned his first start of the season at LSU (and second start with the Gators). McClain made his second career pick against Miami and was UF’s highest-graded player on defense.
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Johnson will be the second defensive starter to undergo surgery in as many weeks. Florida redshirt senior defensive lineman Caleb Banks reinjured his foot in his first game back against LSU and had a procedure on the injury last week. UF coach Billy Napier said Banks would be out long term.
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In addition to Banks and Johnson, the Gators have other key players on defense sidelined with injuries. Florida’s starting outside linebacker, redshirt senior George Gumbs Jr., didn’t play at Miami along with sophomore defensive lineman Michai Boireau, who’s been out the last two weeks after starting the first two games.
Johnson was one of four UF players that left the Miami game with injuries, along with redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Brendan Bett, redshirt sophomore defensive back Aaron Gates and redshirt senior wide receiver J.Michael Sturdivant.
“We got a couple guys banged up,” Napier said after the 26-7 loss. “We have more on the details of those injuries in the future, the severity of some of them, and I think we might come out of there OK.”
Florida Gators injury report
| Player | Position | Status |
| Caleb Banks | DL | Out |
| Brendan Bett | DL | TBD |
| Michai Boireau | DL | Out |
| Aaron Gates | DB | TBD |
| George Gumbs Jr. | EDGE | Out |
| Scott Isacks | TE | Out |
| Dijon Johnson | CB | Out |
| LJ McCray | EDGE | Out |
| J.Michael Sturdivant | WR | TBD |
| Kamryn Waites | OL | Out |
| Treyaun Webb | RB | Out |
| Fletcher Westphal | OL | Out |
| Dallas Wilson | WR | Out |
