Tough news out of Gainesville on Tuesday as the Gators have lost a defender for the season.

During his Tuesday morning media availability, Dan Mullen revealed redshirt defensive back CJ McWilliams will miss the upcoming season.

“He is going to be out for the year with a torn Achilles. He ruptured his Achilles, so he’s going to be out for the year. That’s a tough one,” Mullen said. “Non-contact injury. That’s a shame… It was early in practice, planted and drove and felt the pop, it’s a shame.”

McWilliams appeared in nine games for the Gators last season and had 16 tackles and four pass breakups. He also started against LSU and Vanderbilt at cornerback.

The junior is a native of Miami and signed with Florida as a three-star recruit out of Southwest Miami High School in the 2016 recruiting class.