2024 Transfer Portal

[Escambia94]

Florida Gators defensive lineman Chris McClellan plans to enter the Transfer Portal. The 6’3” 295 sophomore from Owasso, Oklahoma will have 2 years of eligibility remaining.

Year	School	Games
2022	Florida	13
2023	Florida	12

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1731505080375836814

 

[Escambia94]

Here are the fully or partially confirmed UF players to the portal as of Monday morning on Portal Day. The PFF grades and number of snaps is shown. Note that PFF grades are just like school grades. So far all the grades are C and below.

1. DT Chris McClellan (63.7 PFF, 295 snaps, 37%)
2. RG Jalen Farmer (61.7 PFF, 27 snaps, 4%)
3. WR Caleb Douglas (59.7 PFF, 223 snaps, 24%)
4. DT Will Norman (57.4 PFF, 8 snaps, 1%)*
5. WR Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman (56.4 PFF, 2 snaps, 0%)
6. OT Jordan Herman (56.1 PFF, 21 snaps, 2%)
7. S Kamari Wilson (55.8 PFF, 20 snaps, 3%)
8. CB Jadarrius Perkins (48.9 PFF, 6 snaps, 0%)
9. TE Jonathan Odom (48.1 PFF, 107 snaps, 12%)
10. QB Max Brown (34.0 PFF, 112 snaps, 12%)
11. RB Carlson Joseph (2 snaps)
12. TE Andrew Savaiinaea (N/A PFF, 0 snaps, 0%)
13. DT Keenan Landry (walk-on)
14. K Adam Mihalek (walk-on)

Note that Florida has about 69 scholarship athletes on the roster and is expecting 19 on National Signing Day. This means the Gators need 5 scholarship athletes to leave just to stay at 85 scholarships.

 

[DRU2012]

I don't want to be the one to utter the obvious line sitting out there, the one about rodents and flawed sailing vessels, but don't you think it more and more begins to apply?
Anyway, sure appears we'll "clear" room down to that "85" number...

 

[DRU2012]

...and now top 2022 4-star Napier recruit Kamari Wilson has entered the portal too.
The defenseman played and soon started in every game his freshman season.
A "worst-case scenario: appears to be developing--and I can't help but think, "a few more wins, a little less sideline confusion" might have taken this off-season in a different direction...
At least we'd still be BUSY PRACTICING, somehow FINISHING the right way right about now.

 

[Escambia94]

I don't want to be the one to utter the obvious line sitting out there, the one about rodents and flawed sailing vessels, but don't you think it more and more begins to apply?
Anyway, sure appears we'll "clear" room down to that "85" number...

So far so good. The only athletes who are transferring out are lower ranked. Look at the PFF grades. Dead weight. Hate to slap that label on a 20-year old kid, but they are getting paid to play football and they were not very good at it.

Even if we lose a sophomore like Etienne as rumored, that would suck but it would be understandable. Now, if a freshman with several starts then something is wrong.

 

[Escambia94]

...and now top 2022 4-star Napier recruit Kamari Wilson has entered the portal too.
The defenseman played and soon started in every game his freshman season.
A "worst-case scenario: appears to be developing--and I can't help but think, "a few more wins, a little less sideline confusion" might have taken this off-season in a different direction...
At least we'd still be BUSY PRACTICING, somehow FINISHING the right way right about now.

He played 20 snaps. If he could not figure out how to beat a bunch of kids to the field then he needs to go.

 

[DRU2012]

So far so good. The only athletes who are transferring out are lower ranked. Look at the PFF grades. Dead weight. Hate to slap that label on a 20-year old kid, but they are getting paid to play football and they were not very good at it.

Even if we lose a sophomore like Etienne as rumored, that would suck but it would be understandable. Now, if a freshman with several starts then something is wrong.

He played 20 snaps. If he could not figure out how to beat a bunch of kids to the field then he needs to go.

I hope you are right, E--...You sure are seeing the bright side of all of these. I'll give you that.
Wish I could do that--but all this is clearly hitting ME the opposite way. Truth is, I throw these "first reactions to latest news" OUT there this way so quickly with those very "HOPES" in mind:
I WELCOME your "it's better this wsy" takes!
Doesn't say too much overall for Billy's FIRST season here and early moves upon taking over, but if this all indeed turns out to be a "series of moves signifying the front end of general IMPROVEMENTS" that of course will be part of an important positive trend.
It doesn't counteract the pressures all our recruiting commits are facing out there right now, NOR ease fears regarding reports that we are supposedly "close to seeing some crucial ones flip" (word comes that with our fired defensive assistant being so quickly hired by the new A&M Coach, HE is working HARD to bring one of our latest blue-chippers in McCray over now with him, and SEVERAL schools are going HARD at 5-star Filsaime now too: We must SOMEHOW hold onto the best of this once much-envied defensive recruiting class!).
I know I am once again dwelling on the obvious AND letting predictable moves and news of it too much affect me. Can't help it: too much bad news for too long, without relief.

 

[DRU2012]

Transfer portal 2023: The following recruits from the class of 2022, Billy Napier’s first class, have entered the transfer portal

First	Last	Pos	Ht	Wt	High School	College	Rating	Notes
Kamari	Wilson	S	6-0	201	Fort Pierce, Fla. / IMG Academy	n/a	0.9807	Transfer portal 12/4/23. 55.8 PFF, 20 snaps, 3%
Chris	McClellan	DL	6-3	305	Owasso, Okla. / Owasso	n/a	0.9536	Transfer portal 12/4/23. 63.7 PFF, 295 snaps, 37%
Caleb	Douglas	WR	6-3	185	Missouri City, Texas / Hightower	n/a	0.8817	Transfer portal 12/4/23. 59.7 PFF, 223 snaps, 24%
Andrew	Savalinea	DL	6-3	258	Graham. Wa. / Graham-Kapowsin	n/a	0.8702	Transfer portal 12/4/23. N/A PFF, 0 snaps, 0%
Jalen	Farmer	OL	6-5	325	Covington, Ga. / Eastside	n/a	0.8700	Transfer portal 12/4/23. 61.7 PFF, 27 snaps, 4%
Max	Brown	QB	6-3	200	Tulsa, Ok./ Lincoln Christian School	n/a	0.8342	Transfer portal 12/4/23. 34.0 PFF, 112 snaps, 12%

Again: What are your thoughts in response to all this?
Specifically, I ask again: "What does THIS say about Billy's judge of talent, character--and his own apparent 'recruiting prowess' even BEFORE we see how the 2024 cycle actually turns out?"

 

[Escambia94]

Again: What are your thoughts in response to all this?
Specifically, I ask again: "What does THIS say about Billy's judge of talent, character--and his own apparent 'recruiting prowess' even BEFORE we see how the 2024 cycle actually turns out?"

Hard to say. Nowadays it is common to have 20 players in the transfer portal. All the old rules are out the window.

 

[DRU2012]

Hard to say. Nowadays it is common to have 20 players in the transfer portal. All the old rules are out the window.

But it is the particular apparent "COMPOSITION quality" currently trending that is worrisome. Princely and some of these others I guess I hoped, even expected, to be among those who stayed--either stuck with the program or (if the pro-draft-rankings were more favorable) MAYBE go pro. Jumping to competing schools has all kinds of additional impact and implications that go right back to our ongoing Coaching considerations.
You know what I am referring to here.
At this point, some sort of major rally in both the recruiting AND portal realms will be required if we are to somehow avoid finding ourselves with pretty well the same W-L record 1 year from now--even WITH improved overall performance in all the off-field problems which dogged us in 2023.
In short, I am beginning to feel that maybe I have not been pessimistic ENOUGH--a sad and depressing thought.

 

[DRU2012]

Some kind of "slam-dunk" OC signing by now might have at least helped shore up the "sinking ship" vibe.
(No. I myself do NOT have anyone in particular in mind--if not the obvious "longterm consideration" choice, Kerwin...but I frankly didn't expect that one--for reasons well-discussed before...)
Sorry. Each time I TRY to find SOMETHING the least bit "positive", reality strikes and turns it to dust between my fingers.

 

[DRU2012]

Trevor made HIS portal-exit official today.
Meanwhile the Seminoles are steadily solidifying, even improving on that "#3 recruiting class" that was once ours to lose--which "we" did.
The is all we are left with here now:
Gator Envy--a place to vent our frustration and sorrow. Glad it's here. But I sure as hell wish there was more "raison d'etre"!
(That's French for "something other than a parade of bummers to note and follow"...)
I keep waiting, searching for more and better. But the search ITSELF is getting me down, wearing me OUT.
I keep coming back here hoping to find some encouraging positivity from y'all. Instead, I end up being the endless, ominous "Voice of Doom".
Hey look: I'M getting tired of me TOO.
I will try once more to cool it.

 

[Escambia94]

Florida Gators defensive end to enter the transfer portal. The 6’5" 255 pound junior from Manor, Texas will have 1 year of eligibility remaining. Princely stared every game from 2021 to 2023. He was named to the USA Today All-SEC Team '23, AP All-SEC Second Team '23, and Coaches All-SEC Second Team '23. He led the team in sacks and tackles for loss two years in a row on the way to team awards for Outstanding Defensive Performer, Defensive Achievement Award, Co-Defensive Player of the Year (w/ Shemar James), and MVP (with Graham Mertz).

	TOT	SOLO	AST	PD	SACK	FF	INT	YDS	TD
2020	3	1	2	0	2	0	0	0	0
2021	17	9	8	0	1.5	1	0	0	0
2022	39	16	23	0	4.5	2	0	0	0
2023	39	22	17	0	7	0	0	0	0
	98	48	50	0	15	3	0	0	0

 

[Escambia94]

Yeah. It will only get worse with each day that Napier does not announce his new coaches. Some recruits will look at NIL + position coach and overlook the losing culture at Florida. Some will not.

 

[DRU2012]

Sigh...
Either Billy dramatically reverses the recent trend here--and does so soon, VERY soon, OR--or, well, I just don't KNOW what!

 

[DRU2012]

@Escambia94,
Damnit...Sorry: MEANT to say this on the "2024 Recruiting Class" thread, rather than here--though it is also appropriate in responseto your comment directly above!
Perhaps it would best be mo Ed OVEF to that particular thread--but I will leave e that up to YOU...The sentiment remains:

Same as what I said last over on "portal" thread, only MORE SO...,
This is turning out worse even than seen through my own pessimistic view.
It is past the point of prognostication what will be "his" fate if this or that does or doesn't happen.
We are a tattered program, once great but currently in pieces and drowning in a hole we dug OURSELVES.
As things ALREADY stand, I see little reason to even closely follow this team and program for a few years...It is more and more getting to be time to settle back and look for new (so far non-EXISTENT") signs of a true turnaround, the first murmerings of "new life" and REASON for "hope".
As it is, E--, you're damn RIGHT when you say that "things are only gonna get worse from here" before they begin to get better.
I won't be applying ANY of this specifically to our Coach's future any longer. I don't really think it matters all that much now...
THAT is how bad things have gotten here--up, down, RIGHT ACROSS THE BOARD.

 

[DRU2012]

Yeah. It will only get worse with each day that Napier does not announce his new coaches. Some recruits will look at NIL + position coach and overlook the losing culture at Florida. Some will not.

The "SOME will not" part is already HAPPENING!
Exhibit A: Trevor Etienne.

 

[Escambia94]

Florida Gators safety Miguel Mitchell plans to enter the Transfer Portal. The 6’1 205 sophomore will have 2 years of eligibility remaining.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1735026842636067218

 

[DRU2012]

We may be a "sinking ship", but that doesn't make guys like this (and so many others) any less "rats"...
I'm sorry, but this whole "NFL Light" trend just sickens me.

 

[DRU2012]

And now it turns out Princely chooses Lane and Ol' Miss as his transfer destination--so F*CK HIM, big time!!!