The Florida Gators have been quiet in the portal to date, adding just five transfers in the fall / winter window, most of which are expected to serve as depth pieces. Florida focused their efforts on player retention, bringing back draft eligible players such as defensive lineman Caleb Banks and Tyreak Sapp as well as offensive lineman Austin Barber and Jake Slaughter. According to head coach Billy Napier, Florida has reached agreements with 98% of their roster post spring. Assuming that number stays true and there’s no surprise portal entries, the Gators will only have room to add one or two players in the spring portal window.
With the spring portal window officially opening today, Gator Country provides two positions Florida could upgrade ahead of the 2025 season.
Defensive tackle
Florida lost two key contributors at defensive tackle from the 2024 season in Cam Jackson and Desmond Watson, who combined for 689 snaps in their final year of college football. The Gators also lost Joey Slackman to eligibility and Kelby Collins to the transfer portal. Both had smaller roles but were still depth pieces that could be replaced.
The Gators added three high school prospects in Stephon Shivers, Jeremiah McCloud, and Joseph Mbatchou, the latter of which won’t be on campus until the summer. It’s going to be difficult to rely on freshmen in year one, so you can’t exactly count on this trio as suitable replacements in 2025.
Florida did return their most productive defensive tackle in Caleb Banks, who came on strong at the end of the season with a combined 3.5 sacks, 14 QB pressures, and a forced fumble against LSU and Ole Miss alone. Banks is listed as the 35th best player in college football entering 2025, according to CBS Sports. The Gators also return redshirt junior Jamari Lyons; a guy Florida’s staff viewed as a starter before he suffered a broken ankle last fall camp. Lyons can play both interior positions which is valuable after the loss of two nose tackles in Cam Jackson and Desmond Watson.
Ultimately, Florida is relying on development from their younger guys. Rising sophomores Michai Boireau, D’Antre Robinson, and Tarvorise Brown will take on a larger role as well as senior Brien Taylor Jr. Those four defensive tackles combined for 451 snaps last season.
Florida was active in the defensive tackle market early with Kentucky’s Keeshawn Silver before he committed to USC, so we know the staff has at some least interest in a nose tackle. The Gators should look to add one experienced defensive tackle as the unit is a Caleb Banks injury away from becoming a highly questionable position group. I have defensive tackle as the top priority in the spring window.
Star / cornerback
The Gators have already added Southern Miss transfer Michael Caraway Jr; a versatile defensive back that could see time at the STAR and cornerback position. However, the Gators should consider looking into another experienced cornerback given the current state of the room. For starters, the Gators lost Jason Marshall Jr. due to eligibility. Florida will also be without Jameer Grimsley and Aaron Gates for a while as both are recovering from fairly serious injuries.
Dijon Johnson and Devin Moore are the projected starters while Cormani McClain and Michael Caraway will likely crack the two deep. Moore, however, has yet to play in more than seven games in a single season across three years at UF. It’s at the point where you have to account for his deep injury history.
The Gators added three freshmen cornerbacks in Ben Hanks III, Onis Konanbanny, and J’Vari Flowers, a late addition in Florida’s 2025 class. Konanbanny and Flowers won’t enroll until the summer.
Florida has plenty of depth at the cornerback position, but it’s mostly unexperienced players or undersized true freshmen. Billy Napier has been on the record stating the possibility of the Gators adding another defensive back through the portal, but J’Vari Flowers’ late addition to the roster makes that less likely. Ideally, the Gators should add a starting level cornerback to compete with Dijon Johnson and Devin Moore.