On December 15th of 2022, just 17 days after Billy Napier was hired at Florida, the Gators received a commitment from consensus four-star linebacker Shemar James. The Mobile, Alabama native pledged to Florida over Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, Florida State, and many others.
James wouldn’t arrive in Gainesville until May 31st, opting not to enroll early for spring football.
Despite joining the team for just summer workouts and fall camp, James played in all 13 games at linebacker as a true freshman, totaling 47 tackles (18 solo) two sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery across 368 snaps.