Florida will be without one of its top defensive players when it faces UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 23. Defensive lineman Zach Carter revealed he will forgo the bowl game as he prepares for the 2022 NFL Draft.

Carter signed with Florida in 2017 as a 4-star strong-side defensive end out of Hillsborough High in Tampa. After redshirting his first year on campus, Carter played in 46 games over the past 4 seasons.

This season, Carter started all 12 games at defensive tackle. The 6-4, 285-pounder recorded 32 tackles, including 11 for loss. His 8 sacks ranked No. 8 among SEC defenders in 2021.