The Florida Gators are one club that ought to be using the transfer portal to reload and retool, as do other teams. The Gators had a dismal 5-7 record at the end of 2023 and failed to qualify for a bowl game. That is totally unacceptable for a program that has won numerous national awards.
The transfer portal is a great way for the Gators to reshape their roster with over 3,000 players already having entered. The question then becomes: Who should Florida football pursue in the portal to vault them back into contention?
Edge rusher is one position on the field that the Gators will need to look up in the transfer portal. This is due to Princely Umanmielen, Florida’s top pass rusher, being in the portal himself.
With seven sacks this season and 4.5 sacks the year before, Umanmielen topped the squad in sacks. In 2023, none of his colleagues was able to record more than 2.5 sacks. Umanmielen’s 39 total tackles for the season tied him for fourth place on the squad. The loss of Umanmielen would be devastating to Florida’s defense because he is a complete player.
Maybe UTSA’s Trey Moore, who is regarded as the finest pass rusher in the nation, can take his position for the Gastors. These days, Moore is rather busy in the gateway. Pete Nakos of On3 Sports reports that he will be visiting Alabama this coming weekend. In addition, Moore canceled a visit with Ohio State, according to Nakos, so maybe Florida isn’t really a contender after all.
However, the Gators have a history of sending edge rushers to the NFL and they truly need him. Florida should make every effort to attract a player of Moore’s caliber to Gainesville, even though it could be a long shot.
One of Florida’s top offensive players is also leaving the team via the transfer site. Trevor Etienne, a star running back who Florida truly can’t afford to lose, has declared his intention to leave.
