Marcus Maye may have been limited because of multiple injuries in the second year of his NFL career with the New York Jets, but that hasn’t affected the former Florida safety’s love for football.

The Gators played an instrumental role in helping Maye become interested in the sport, even before he played for them, and now he’s using the lessons he learned to play professionally.

Maye explained how he became infatuated with football, especially playing in the secondary, while watching former Florida greats during an episode of 2019 One Jets Drive, a series created by the Jets that is uploaded to the team’s YouTube channel.

“I always watched Reggie Nelson, how he played the game. You can go all the way back to Lito Sheppard, and then you can go to Joe Haden, Major Wright, those guys,” Maye said. “A lot of it’s instincts, a lot of it’s will to go get the ball. It’s just something about the position that I fell in love with.”

Maye, who played for the Gators from 2013-16, was selected by the Jets in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft. After playing all 16 games as a rookie, Maye played only six games in 2018 due to numerous ailments, including a foot injury, a broken thumb and a shoulder injury.

Now, Maye is healthy and preparing for his third NFL season. And he broke down how he’s feeling, and more, in the latest episode of the Jets’ documentary series.

Watch the full episode featuring Maye below: