Florida Gators Winter Transfer Portal Window Summary
Photo: Billy Napier; Photo credit: Alex Schaefer
The first window of the NCAA transfer portal is closed, and the vast majority of college football players looking to play elsewhere in 2023 have begun their search process, if not completed, at least during the 45-day window.
This pool includes 22 former Gators-listed grantees and nine so far prospects who will join Florida for the upcoming campaign.
All Gators has been following every Florida grant transfer movement during the first NCAA transfer portal below.
This story has been and will continue to be updated whenever a status changes or additional players enter/exit the transfer list.
Transfers in (nine)
Listed chronologically
DL Caleb Banks: With Gervon Dexter off to the NFL Draft and Jalen Lee With the move to LSU, Florida’s need for defensive line reinforcements only became more important in the offseason. The team quickly identified Banks, a 6-foot-7, 300-pound redshirt freshman from Louisville, as a high-profile lineman who could help fill the void.
While catching just 38 snaps during the 2022 season, Banks totaled two tackles with one for a loss, a sack, a forced fumble and three quarterback pressures. per Pro Football Focus. He retains eligibility to play in Florida for three seasons.
QB Graham Mertz: Florida’s plan to advance quarterback exploded when Elite were signal-callers in 2023 Jaden Rashada is said to have applied for release from his letter of intent on Tuesday. Mertz, a seasoned Big 10 veteran, was brought on as a bridge quarterback while Rashada continued to develop behind the scenes.
Mertz’s role hasn’t changed as he is expected to start for UF in 2023, with experience on his side following the 2022 launch Anthony Richardson‘s exit to the NFL Draft, although Mertz won’t be trailing a future quarterback on the depth chart.
Mertz, who served as the starting signalman for the Badgers for three of his four years at Madison, amassed 5,405 passing yards, 38 touchdowns and 26 interceptions on close to 60% completion and added eight touchdowns on the ground.
Mertz still has two seasons of eligibility to play.
DL Cam’Ron Jackson: The Gators weren’t done adding depth to the trenches when they landed Banks, as Jackson transferred to Florida less than two weeks later. He is expected to play nose tackle and some three technique while Banks is likely a three technique with defensive end potential.
After two seasons in a reserve role while adding beef to his physique, Jackson produced 41 tackles, a sack and 20 quarterback pressures (PFF) during his second redshirt campaign in 2022. He routinely challenged double teams down the middle of Memphis’s 6-foot-5, 340-pound defense.
Jackson can play two seasons for Florida before losing his college eligibility.
LB Teradiah Mitchell: With Ventrell Miller and Amari Burney off to the pros and Diwun Black The move to Temple, Fla., entered the offseason with a glaring need for linebackers, leading to the acquisition of a former Buckeyes starting backer in Mitchell.
After three seasons from 2018–20 that featured mostly special teams, Mitchell took a starting role on Ohio State’s defense in 2021, notching 45 tackles with 4.5 losses in 12 games. However, an undisclosed injury limited him to just four appearances in 2022, resulting in his December 5 transfer portal entry.
Mitchell is licensed to play for the Gators.
LB Deuce Spurlock: Florida continued to hammer out the need for linebackers, earning Spurlock’s signing just after Mitchell’s. Spurlock might not take on a role as immediately as the other Big 10 linebacker transfer, but UF is intrigued by Spurlock’s potential given that he’s gained the weight (now 6-foot-1, 231 pounds) needed to go after that to play at the second level occupying the security position in high school.
Spurlock recorded three total tackles in two appearances as a freshman and retained his redshirt. He has four seasons to use at Gainesville.
OL Micha Mazzcua: Florida has lost four of its five 2022 starters on offense this offseason Richard Gouraige and O’Cyrus Torrence entered the NFL Draft and Michael Tarkin (USC) and Ethan White (unbound) enter the transfer portal.
Portal offensive line talent became an absolute necessity for the Gators, and that process began with the securing of a former Baylor starter in Mazzccua.
In his first season as a starter in 2022, in 11 games at left, Mazzccua allowed just one sack and 11 pressures in pass protection per PFF. He also scored a running block score of 78.5 (out of 100), good for the 15th best score among qualified FBS guards.
After redshirting the 2020 COVID-19 season, Mazzccua will retain college eligibility for three seasons.
OT Dameon George Jr.: For the same reasons as Mazzccua’s welcome, George officially made the move to Florida on Wednesday and, given his experience with the SEC, should be fighting for a start in offensive tackle.
George appeared in 13 games on Alabama’s offensive line in three years at Tuscaloosa and made three starts against New Mexico State, Arkansas and Auburn at the end of the 2021 regular season. He has also used a role as a blocker on field goals and extra points.
He owns two seasons of use authorization for the Gators.
RB Cameron Carroll: Florida filled in its running back room for 2023 by adding Carroll on Monday. He will join Montrell Johnson Jr., Trevor Etienne and real novice Treyaun Webb at the position in 2023 and could play a role in passing data, with Johnson and Etienne handling the majority of transmissions.
In five seasons with the Green Wave, Carroll carried the rock 312 times for 1,638 yards and 19 touchdowns, adding 23 receptions and five touchdowns to complement Tulane’s passing attack. His best year was 2020 when he rushed for 741 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 6.1 yards per carry.
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Carroll joins the Gators as a grad transfer with one season of eligibility remaining.
LB Mannie Nunnery: The addition of Nunnery means Florida will surpass its tally of scholarship offball linebackers from a season ago as the Gators carry seven into the 2023 campaign, with Mitchell and Spurlock joining the team through the portal and Jaden Robinson Enrollment as a freshman.
Nunnery appeared in 22 games for the Cougars over four seasons, playing primarily in a special team role for the first three years before moving to a more extensive role in 2022. He accounted for 34 tackles, two tackles for losses, a sack and a pass separation as a redshirt sophomore last season.
Nunnery has two seasons left in his collegiate career.
Departures (22)
Grantees only, listed chronologically within each position
RB Nay’Quan Wright: USF
RB Lorenzo Lingard: Akron
WR Trent Whittemore: UCF
WR Daejon Reynolds: Pittsburgh
TE Nick Elksnis: South Carolina
TE Griffin McDowell: Tennessee-Chattanooga
OL Josh Brown: Arkansas
OL Yousef Mugharbil: Colorado
OL Michael Tarquin: Southern California
OL Ethan White: Southern California
DL Jalen Lee: LSU
RAND David Reese: California
EDGE Chief Borders: Nebraska
EDGE Lloyd Summerall III: USF
LB Diwun Black: Temple
CB Avery helmet: TCU
CB Jordan Young: Cincinnati
STAR Tre’Vez Johnson: Missouri
DB Kamar Wilcoxson: Temple
S. Donovan McMillon: Pittsburgh
S Corey Collier Jr: Nebraska
LS Marco Ortiz: Nebraska
Of the 22 Florida players traded this offseason, 16 ended up on Power 5 programs and four remain in the SEC.
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