GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Take one look at Dan Mullen's staff and you'll immediately begin to notice two things.

First, he surrounded himself with guys he has coached with for a long time and is quite familiar with on offense. Second, he hired some guys with serious NFL and college credentials on the defensive side of the ball.

Between them, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and defensive line coach Sal Sunseri have 19 years of experience as NFL assistant coaches or coordinators. And they're doing what they can to bring that NFL experience and teaching with them to Florida.

"One thing I did do is when I left (the Oakland Raiders), I brought tape back for the top sack-getters in the National Football League," Sunseri said Tuesday. "And our guys, when we sat down and I had them watch it, they’ve been watching the best pass-rushers in the National Football League to see what they’re doing and how they’re using their hands and moving their feet."

Sunseri has been quick to sell his NFL pitch to both players and prospects. After all, that's where they all want to end up three to four years down the road.

"What they’ve noticed is, ‘Hey, if you hit your target and you move your feet, you’ll get to the quarterback,’" Sunseri said. "And sometimes it might be a coverage sack, so you’ve just got to keep your effort going. Really, my experience in the NFL coming back here to college I think is great because I know where these kids want to go, and I know I can get you there."

Florida has plenty of players that Sunseri will be working with that have aspirations of jumping to the NFL in the very near future.

In fact, senior defensive end CeCe Jefferson opted to return to school for the 2018 season and the move to a 3-4 defense that could showcase his skills as an edge rusher was likely a big reason why.

But the Gators also have four other defensive ends entering their junior year. All have made varying contributions but could be poised for a big jump come this fall. If they can take to the coaching.

"I think that’s where I can relate to these kids and understand I’ve been where you want to get to, and I want to tell you the secret to it is really simple," Sunseri said. "You need to work hard, you need to show fast, rich muscle fibers to show that you can play with the quickness, because everytime you move up in the level of football from the SEC to the National Football League, that’s the best offensive linemen that you’re going to play against."

Film study is going to be a major emphasis for Sunseri.

Not just watching clips of Calais Campbell and Everson Griffen and Cameron Jordan and Joey Bosa. But watching clips of themselves at practice over and over again to iron out every kink. Watching those game clips where they were just one small move away from getting to the quarterback or making the play at the line of scrimmage.

"When you get to the National Football League, it starts at 8 o’clock in the morning. You’re going until 4 o’clock," Sunseri said. "And then when you leave there, if you’re really a good pro, you have film that you take home and study at night so that you can anticipate what the heck plays you’re going to see.

"Now, this is what our guys have to do. Coming over here (to the team facility) because it’s a required time to be here isn’t enough. You’ve got to take that film back with you, and then what you have to do is you’ve got to go home at night and study it."

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