Texas A&M CB transfer to UF

Transfer cornerback Elijah Blades plans to join the Gators as a mid-camp pickup around Aug. 13, once his undergraduate degree at Texas A&M is finalized.

There’s a full-circle element at play. When Blades was a four-star high school recruit from Pasadena, Calif., in 2017, he decommitted from Florida a week before signing day and ultimately failed to qualify. He was the top-ranked junior college cornerback in the 2019 class per the 247Sports Composite when he signed with Texas A&M.

Blades made six starts for Texas A&M in 2019 while playing with a torn labrum and then opted out last season after needing more recovery time following shoulder surgery.

He completed his final online class Thursday and is eager to enroll. “I’m waiting on my grades to go in and my transcript to get sent over,” he said. “If I can’t get into practice next week, I’ll definitely be out there the week after that.”

 

Seems like we have some pieces to work with in the secondary. Finally might be able to sit some people down when they underperform.

 

I think we were okay with talent, but that lack of experienced depth was the problem. More numbers and more talent is good for our overall defense.

 

All prejudice aside there's been a lot of good db's with the last name of Blades (is he related?)

 

Hope he pans out to be a good contributor. His history of commitment to teams isn't exactly exemplary, i.e. polar opposite to Kyle Trask. Since he is already a senior, maybe his wonderlust has dissipated with this latest transfer.

 

UF will be adding to its NFL DBU stock in 22. Blades has all the tools for advancing to the next level.

Just hope his transcript arrives from Texas A&M soon. Don't want some paper pusher mucking up Blades practice time. He's already going to miss the first week of camp. UF Admissions? That means you too.

 

Grad transfer is my understanding, so have to wait for commencement ceremony for semester at TAM?

 

From what I read, Blades final class was on Thursday. When his grade is turned in, his transcript can be forwarded to UF. Once UF receives and accepts the transcript for enrollment, Blades will enroll and begin practice. There has been no mention of having to participate in a commencement ceremony so that is likely not a requirement.

 

Looks like commencement for TAM is August 13th at 10am for undergrads. Grad transfers must graduate (don’t have to attend graduation) in order to transfer with immediate eligibility.

 

Can he bring Isiah Spiller along too?

 

So, assuming he gets in, I wonder how prominent of a role he will play right out of the gate with the current and incoming talent on the roster. Mullen doesn't seem to take transfers for depth; they usually see the field pretty quickly.

 

Grad transfers have worked out pretty well for us in the past. I remember a guy named Ryan Smith made a difference as a Gator in 2006!

 

Somehow, I don’t think he’ll be standing in line at Criser Hall waiting to talk to someone about his application.

 

I am quite sure everyone will do their due diligence. What else could happen?



I guess sometimes you are just born with the "Kid Brother Syndrome".

 

Interesting how things have come full circle with this guy

 

Good chance of starting I would think or he wouldnt come. Now even more so given thatI hear Hill is hurt.

 

I'm glad we have the portal- we would have been and probably would be second tier in terms of talent without it. But we recruited 15 DB in two cycles. And, I thought we had solid starting CBs from the 2019 cycle. It's a mystery to me so I conclude we took a bunch of guys with potential if they develop and our staff is still sorting through it. When Misschump was here he recruited guys that were ready to jump into the rotation year one. Yet, at the same time, on AR there's nobody saying we need fewer than four DB this cycle, as if we still don't have a roster with depth. But okay...

Then why does he want to leave TAMU- if he's so talented he should be a top 3 CB on their roster, and if he's talented enough to start now at UF what about all the talent we supposedly took past three cycles? It's fine to say that "when a guy of his level wants to transfer to your school take him" but is there something else this signals? I'm not convinced the problems in our secondary last season weren't due to coaching/coordination/scheme so if that's part of the problem talent probably wasn't the issue.

I hope this staff gets it figured out.

 

I think the scheme stunk and it seemed as if tackling was listed as "optional/not mandatory" as a job skill for playing DB last year. That's what was so disturbing regarding the previous DB coach, he was held in such high regard by many but a basic skill necessary to play defensive football,...tackle the man with the ball,...seemed to be a far-flung expectation. Hope the new DB coaches hold all the DB's accountable.