GAINESVILLE

Let’s start with what didn’t happen.

Tyreak Sapp, the former Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas defensive lineman, didn’t do anything but stand on a plate and stand by a wall. Those measurements were as reassuring as they could be, minus the shorter reach than film would suggest, but none of it will be the reason a team selects him next month in the NFL draft.

Between Florida’s Pro Day this week and the NFL Combine in late February, the only workout Sapp participated in was the bench press, at which he knocked out an impressive 28 reps in Indianapolis. Otherwise, returning to Gainesville, the DNPs racked up. He wouldn’t explain his choice to largely not work out. Yet while he wasn’t partaking, he was definitely present … which might show something a little deeper.

“I want to be there for my teammates,” he said this year. “In the past, I’ve closed off to myself some. … The next thing is being a leader, helping guys, being around.”

While Florida spiraled to 4-8, he transformed into an anchoring presence, a far cry from the volatile character he was in his first seasons with the Gators. Eligibility used up and his NFL dream rolling onto the horizon, he’s departing Florida. This was a nice last hurrah.

“Wanted to be out here for my guys,” Sapp said. When his friend and fellow edge rusher George Gumbs Jr. took to the bench, Sapp stood closest, screaming “dig” with each rep. He smiled and joked with his teammates — err, former teammates — offsetting career-defining activities with a light-hearted environment. “It was nice having their support,” Gumbs said, “seeing all the guys back out here.”

Gumbs projects slightly better than Sapp, largely due to his lean 6-foot-4 frame that fits the mold of mutant edge rushers the NFL is currently searching for. Sapp was more productive while at Florida, though, tallying seven sacks his junior year, prior to a disappointing single-sack fall. He figures to fit into a backup role wherever he lands, with his adjustment in mindset now a plus, some scouts suggested this year. He’s shown growth, a crucial yet distinctly difficult-to-measure skill. He’s also significantly more humble.

“I just want to find a home,” he said. “I’m open to anything.”

Since he didn’t take part in the festivities, the spotlight at Florida’s Pro Day shifted in other directions. The sharpest glow was around defensive tackle Caleb Banks, who easily will be Florida’s highest-drafted prospect this year. Despite missing nine games this season with a foot injury and then re-injuring the foot during the combine, he shouldn’t slip past Day 2. Some outlets still project him as a late first-round selection.

But he, like Sapp, was just a cheerleader this week.

“If I was out there doing drills, I know they’d be supporting me,” he said. “Being a player, I know you need somebody in your corner standing for you, being excited for, even if you just run.

“Hopefully, everybody’s dreams come true.”

That whimsical attitude sifted into the rest of the afternoon, which featured only 11 true participants. Banks got to speaking about his fear of planes and the many ways that’s knifed at his draft process. Long snapper Rocco Underwood spent more time talking about his Easter plans than his performance — thus is the way of long snapping. Punter Tommy Doman dove into how Florida needs to add more Aussies to its ranks. And center Jake Slaughter was, well, as stoic as the All-American has ever been.

Simply, Florida’s Pro Day was as boring as ever. Dreams are made that way sometimes.

“I’ve just been trying to soak in every moment, make the most of every moment, and kind of just enjoy everybody,” Sapp said. “I’ve been through a lot, and I’ve seen a lot, and I’ve seen this place go through a lot, so it just means a lot to me.”

Even if nothing really happened.