Zahmar Tookes

Physical Profile

Listed at 6-4, 230 lbs. Taller than 35% and heavier than 35% of 2027 Edge Rusher prospects in the SEC Scouts database (26 with a listed size).

Play Style

Tookes plays as an active, pursuit-first lineman. He works along the line, runs plays down from the backside and gets into the backfield through gaps instead of relying only on power. His 2026 senior opener against Spencerport (9 tackles, 1 sack) shows the same pattern: he shows up all over the stat sheet, not just on pass-rush downs. His best rush is a speed rush with a corner dip. His power game and hand combinations are still developing. His lateral range and tackle production suggest he will be effective on slants, stunts and twists that free him in space, which suits an aggressive, attacking front.

Strengths

• High tackle volume for a lineman: 114 tackles, 13 TFL, 4 sacks and 2 forced fumbles in 24 games as a sophomore and junior. That points to a high motor, pursuit range and effort away from the ball, not just gap-sitting.
• Edge flexibility: by his own account and on film, his main pass-rush tool is dipping and bending around the corner, a trait that is hard to coach and valuable in the SEC.
• Positional versatility and a frame that can grow: at 6-4 with a reported gain from 235 to 260, he can play a stand-up or hand-down end now and possibly kick inside later, which fits Florida's plan to stock blue-chip linemen across the front.
• Big-game experience and drawing interest across the Power 4: he started on a Brighton team that were 2025 NY state runner-ups. He drew offers from Penn State, Georgia, Nebraska, Syracuse, Boston College and UConn, and is ranked #1 in New York by Rivals and the 247 Composite (#2 in 247's own list).
• Stated emphasis on film study and preparation, which should shorten his learning curve in a multiple SEC front.

Areas to Improve

• Turning pressure into sacks: 4 sacks against 13 TFL over two seasons says he gets into the backfield more than he finishes the quarterback. He needs a real counter move (inside spin or cross-chop) and a better long-arm to convert his bend into sacks against SEC offensive tackles.
• Holding the point of attack: at 235-260 he has to add functional mass and anchor strength to set the edge against 310-plus-pound tackles and handle down blocks and double teams. He also needs lower pad level and stronger hand placement.
• Level of competition: Section V upstate New York football rarely lines him up against Power 4 offensive linemen. His technique will be tested for the first time by SEC tackles, so expect a bigger adjustment than for Southeast prospects.
• Unmeasured athleticism: with no verified testing numbers, his first-step explosiveness still needs to be confirmed in camps or his senior film.

College Projection

He is expected to sign in December 2026. Year 1 (2027) most likely means a redshirt, with special-teams snaps and up to four games of rotational work while he adds 15-25 pounds in the GatorMade strength program. Year 2 should bring a rotational role at defensive end or the BUCK/edge spot, mainly on passing downs. From Year 3 he could compete to start once his mass and hand technique mature. He is one of six 4-star-or-better DL commits in Florida's 2027 class, so the room will be crowded and his early playing time will depend on development. His ceiling is a multi-year SEC starter at defensive end; his floor is a reliable rotational edge player.

NFL Outlook

He is a mid-to-late-round prospect with room to go higher if development goes right. Edge players with real bend and 6-4 frames get NFL attention, but his draft stock depends on reaching about 265-275 pounds while keeping his flexibility, and on turning college pressures into sacks. If he becomes a productive two-year SEC starter with 6-plus-sack seasons, a Day 2 grade (rounds 2-3) is realistic. If he stays a tweener with limited sack production, he projects as a Day 3 pick or a priority free agent. An eventual NFL fit is a 4-3 base end or a 3-4 outside linebacker who can reduce inside in sub packages.

Best Fit

An attacking, multiple front that uses movement (slants, twists, games) and has a hybrid edge role. That lets his bend and pursuit play while he adds size, rather than asking him to two-gap early. Florida's approach under defensive line coach Gerald Chatman and head coach Jon Sumrall, which he specifically cited, works well: stock the line with long, athletic players, develop them physically, then rotate them heavily. Programs with patient DL development and strong strength staffs make the most of his projection.