The Gators suffered their first bit of attrition this offseason on Thursday afternoon when offensive lineman T.J. Moore entered the transfer portal.
Moore was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2017 from Charlotte, North Carolina. At 6-foot-5 and 309 pounds, he has the size and athleticism to play either guard or tackle.
However, he could never find a spot in the rotation at UF. He redshirted in 2017 and played in just two games in 2018. He finally earned consistent playing time in 2019 when he appeared in all 13 games, though primarily on special teams. He played in just four games in 2020.
With Jean Delance and Stewart Reese opting to return for another year and Josh Braun, Ethan White and Kingsley Eguakun emerging as viable options at guard, Moore’s prospects for playing time this fall didn’t look great. He’ll have two seasons of eligibility remaining at whatever school he decides upon.
Moore’s departure won’t mean much for Florida other than it potentially opening up a spot for the Gators to snag an offensive lineman out of the portal over the summer. The Gators now have 12 scholarship offensive linemen on the roster, which is a bit short of the usual target number of 15.