VALDOSTA, Ga. — Valdosta High expects its defense to have more bite during the 2016-17 football season.

Valdosta defensive line coach DeMario Jones, Newbern Middle head coach Thomas Berry and a handful of Wildcats have spent the past three days at a skills camp at the University of Florida in Gainesville, chomping at the bits to receive pointers from Gator coaches.

Defensive linemen Devonnsha Maxwell, Jaiden Greene, Tyrese Doe and Jarred Sermons made the trip, and with other players either banged up or committed to summer school, defensive back Antwon Kincade and linebacker Zakoby McClain rounded out the group.

The four-day camp concludes today, but Jones said he’s heard nothing but praise for the Wildcats through the first three days.

“All the kids we brought, they’ve come and they’ve worked extremely hard,” Jones said in a phone interview Tuesday. “I haven’t run into a coach here that hasn’t said anything but positive things about the way we work at Valdosta and how we go about our business.”

Beginning Sunday, University of Florida coaches opened the practices at their brand new $17 million indoor facility by taking campers’ measurements before putting them through combine drills such as the 40-yard dash, broad jump and shuttle runs.

After rotating through different stations, and 45-minutes of individual work, the daily practices concluded with a competition period featuring 1-on-1s pitting offensive linemen against defensive linemen, receivers against defensive backs, and running backs against linebackers.

The Wildcat players tried their best to soak up as much as they could while on the practice field, but they weren’t the only ones looking for lessons in Gainesville.

“For me as a coach, it kind of keeps me on my toes being around some guys that are considered top-notch in the profession,” Jones said. “Being able to hear their lingo, to be able to be around them and just be a student of the game, and also get to assist them…

“A lot of things we do, and I lot of things I do as a position coach, they’re doing. So it kind of makes you feel good to stand on your toes with guys you feel are top-notch in your profession.”

Jones describes the opportunity and exposure gained from working with the Gators’ staff, as well as the chance to step onto one of the top campuses in the country, as an “invaluable experience” for him and his players.

Scouts flock to players with the physical stature of McClain, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound junior, that’s drawn interest from Florida, among other top programs, since spring.

However, for players that may be viewed as undersized at the major Division I schools, like the 5-10, 185-pound Kincade, the exposure from camps like the one held in Gainesville can be, as Jones said, invaluable.

Kincade has received offers from Central Michigan, Western Kentucky and Southern Miss., and after having conversations with UF head coach Jim McElwain and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, Jones believes Kincade also left quite the impression on the Gators’ coaching staff.

“I told them (Kincade’s) just a kid that needs a chance,” Jones said. “He may not have all the measurables you probably look for at an SEC school as far as height and weight, but the kid is going to give you everything he’s got.

“The kid is Georgia-bred, and he’s just a tough kid.”

The Wildcats have spent the past three nights in Gainesville, and even when they haven’t been on the field, they’ve made the most of their time by becoming closer as teammates.

According to Jones, the Valdosta players have eaten their meals together, watched the NBA Finals together, and they’ve even found the time for a daily character development lesson.

“We’ve had a bunch of fun, but we’ve taken 15 minutes out of each day to just talk to them about making good decisions,” Jones said. “Making sure they understand, they can be in a place like this if they want to, it’s just going to take hard work.

“It’s just going to take them believing in themselves and knowing they’re surrounded with people that believe in them.”

Derrick Davis is a sports reporter at the Valdosta Daily Times.