The Florida Gators will look to bolster their roster via the transfer portal after their second losing season in a row under Billy Napier. There are reportedly over 4,000 college football players in the transfer portal stemming from all different levels of football. Napier and this Gators’ staff have a lot of work to do if they want to get their roster as competitive as possible before the start of the 2024 season.
Gator Country provides you with Florida’s five biggest needs in the transfer portal.
1. Offensive Line
There’s no question that the product at offensive line was not SEC quality in 2023; the Gators ranked 79th in pass block and 48th in run block in the FBS, according to Pro Football Focus. The Gators also allowed 39 sacks in 2023, which ranked 113th in college football.
Offensive line is the biggest need this offseason. Luckily for the Gators, there’s plenty of early options in the transfer portal already. Florida has offered JUCO OT Maurice Rodriques and has been in contact with several others.
The Gators should be looking to add two tackles and one guard, at the very least.
2. Defensive Back
The Gators ranked 110th in coverage in 2023, according to PFF. There were major inconsistencies with both the cornerbacks and safeties throughout the course of the season.
Florida has been active in pursuing cornerbacks thus far, offering Kansas State’s Will Lee, Oregon’s Trikweze Bridges, and Ohio State’s Cameron Martinez. You could be looking at one or two cornerback additions depending on the status of current cornerback Jason Marshall.
I believe the Gators need to target a safety in the transfer portal as well. The Gators trotted out an extremely young safety unit in 2023 and the inconsistences hurt Florida at times.
3. Edge
Following the departure of Princely Umanmielen, the Gators will need to try and match the production of the 4th year edge rusher, who led Florida in sacks in each of the last two seasons. Umanmielen posted a win rate of 20.8%, which was more than double any other defensive lineman on the Gators in 2023.
Florida has young talent in the room such as TJ Searcy, Kelby Collins, and Kamran James that should leave Gator Nation excited for the future. However, I’m not sure you can rely on a big second year jump from all three of them, especially given the number of talented players in the transfer portal.
4. Wide Receiver
Florida lost two starters in Ricky Pearsall (eligibility) and Caleb Douglas (transfer) in the offseason, leaving a hole at the wide receiver position. This would be a great opportunity for the Gators’ staff to go out and land a star wide receiver that can work alongside Eugene Wilson in 2024. I would prefer two additions at wide receiver this offseason. Gator Country can confirm that Florida has been in contact with Jaden Richardson, a wide receiver from Tufts University that recorded 13 touchdowns in 2023.
5. Defensive Tackle
With the loss of Chris McClellan and Will Norman to the transfer portal, the Gators will likely be looking to add an interior piece to their defensive front. Florida has already scheduled a visit with Penn DT Joey Slackman, who is one of the more highly regarded players in the portal to this point. The return of last year’s transfers Caleb Banks and Cam Jackson should help this unit moving forward.