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Florida quarterback DJ Lagway has gone from appearing rusty to looking lost. It's not what anyone envisioned even though he missed nearly nine months dealing with various injuries. He is dancing in the pocket, leading to off-balance throws that end up sailing over receivers or spinning into the ground. He is failing to get through his progressions, allowing defenders to lock onto his first read. He is lacking situational awareness - when to audible, when to run and when to slide - and showing little feel for the game. He is still coach Billy Napier's guy, and that is unlikely to change. Napier is sticking with his turnover-prone starter despite a five-interception performance in a 20-10 loss at No. 3 LSU on Saturday night.

"DJ's our quarterback," said Napier, now 20-21 in four seasons at Florida. "He's one of the best quarterbacks in the country. He made some good decisions, but he also made some bad decisions." Lots of them. The sophomore threw an interception in every quarter in Death Valley, including back-to-back picks on Florida's final two drives while trailing by 10. The fourth one came with the Gators in field-goal range and prompted a lengthy sideline discussion with Napier. "I'm just excited to get back to work," said Lagway, who was making his first road start in Southeastern Conference play. "I got to get this taste out of my mouth. I played horrible football, and I got to do better." Lagway couldn't recall ever turning over the ball five times in a game before Saturday. Not in high school. Not in peewee football. Not in his backyard. "I've never had a performance like that in my life, so it's kind of hard to process it," he said. "But at the end of the day, it's all about how you bounce back and how you respond. And I'm planning on doing so." The Gators, who have now lost consecutive games in each of Napier's four seasons, play at rival and fourth-ranked Miami (3-0) on Saturday night. Florida is winless in eight road games against ranked teams during Napier's tenure. - AP College Football

(DS#4 QB) So/2028

QB DJ Lagway, Florida
News Source: AP College Football
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09/06/25 - Brendan Bett, rSo/2028, Florida, 6-4, 308 (DS#999 DT) + More +

Florida defensive lineman Brendan Bett was ejected for spitting at a South Florida player late in the No. 13 Gators' 18-16 upset loss to South Florida on Saturday night. Florida committed 11 penalties for 103 yards, including two major infractions on South Florida's winning drive, and questionably managed the clock as the Bulls stunned the Gators on Nico Gramatica's 20-yard field goal as time expired.

Bett was flagged and ejected on the final drive for spitting into offensive lineman Cole Skinner's facemask, a play after Dijon Johnson was called for pass interference. Bett's spitting foul came two days after Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected for spitting on Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott in the NFL opener. - AP College Football

(DS#999 DT) rSo/2028

DT Brendan Bett, Florida
News Source: AP College Football
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08/30/25 - DJ Lagway, So/2028, Florida, 6-3, 241 (DS#4 QB) + More +

DJ Lagway threw three touchdown passes, Jadan Baugh ran for 104 yards and a score, and No. 15 Florida opened the season with a 55-0 drubbing of Long Island on Saturday night. The Gators ended their first eight drives with either a field-goal attempt or an extra point. More than anything, though, facing an overmatched team from the Football Championship Subdivision provided coach Billy Napier with a chance to get Lagway live repetitions for the first time since a December bowl game.

Lagway missed months of work following core-muscle surgery, a sore throwing shoulder and, most recently, a strained left calf. He was cleared to fully practice last week and looked a little rusty against the Sharks. He was sacked on Florida's first play and threw two errant passes early. But he settled down and showed plenty of promise in the rout. The sophomore completed 15 of 18 passes for 120 yards, with TD passes to Eugene Wilson III, Hayden Hansen and J. Michael Sturdivant. Lagway's night ended at halftime, with the Gators leading 38-0. The score would have been more lopsided, but Trey Smack missed two field goals and Florida failed to convert four third downs. Long Island never came close to scoring. The Sharks managed two first downs and finished with more penalty yards (100) than total yards (86). - Florida/AP College Football

(DS#4 QB) So/2028

QB DJ Lagway, Florida
News Source: Florida/AP College Football
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12/27/23 - Tommy Doman, rSr/2026, Florida, 6-4, 215 (DS#13 P) + More +

2023 ALL-BIG TEN THIRD TEAM: Tommy Doman, Michigan,...Punter Tommy Doman was a third-team honoree on the coaches ballot and honorable mention by the media. Doman currently has the No. 3 single-season punting average in Michigan history (45.03 yards per attempt) and delivers touchbacks at a rate of 70.4 percent on kickoffs. - Michigan Football

(DS#13 P) rSr/2026

P Tommy Doman, Florida
News Source: Michigan Football
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11/30/23 - Graham Mertz, rSr/2025, Florida, 6-3, 212 (DS#19 QB) + More +

Florida quarterback Graham Mertz is coming back for his final year of college eligibility and giving coach Billy Napier some offensive consistency heading into 2024. Mertz, a three-year starter at Wisconsin who transferred to Florida in January, made the announcement on social media Thursday with a short video titled "Unfinished Business." Mertz completed 72.9% of his passes this season for 2,903 yards, with 20 touchdown passes and just three interceptions. He broke his left collarbone during a Nov. 18 loss at Missouri and missed the team's regular-season finale against rival Florida State. - AP College Football

(DS#19 QB) rSr/2025

QB Graham Mertz, Florida
News Source: AP College Football
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03/08/23 - Jason Marshall Jr., Sr/2025, Florida, 6-0, 194 (DS#32 CB) + More +

Florida junior cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. wants to become a more vocal leader on the defense this spring. "There's young guys coming in and they're looking up to me and some of the other guys," Marshall said following Saturday's first spring practice. "Setting that foundation and me having my game experience and experience here in college in general, they're going to look up to me, ask questions." Marshall, out of Miami Palmetto High School, is coming off a sophomore season in which he started all 13 games - recording eight pass breakups, one tackle for loss and one interception.

As Florida's top cover corner, the 6-foot-1, 197-pound Marshall set goals of becoming faster and stronger during the offseason. But with the departure of linebackers Ventrell Miller Jr., Amari Burney and defensive lineman Gervon Dexter Sr., Marshall is preparing to make an impact beyond the playing field as well. "It all started end of last year," Marshall said. "With guys like Ventrell leaving and Gervon leaving, those were your vocal guys on defense. I'm in that role. I have to step up and be more vocal toward the defense." - Gainesville Sun

(DS#32 CB) Sr/2025

CB Jason Marshall Jr., Florida
News Source: Gainesville Sun
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03/07/23 - Cormani McClain, rSo/2028, Florida, 6-2, 182 (DS#15 CB) + More +

Getting two of the best young cornerbacks in the country to come to Boulder was the first step. Now, the Colorado coaches have to get them ready to play. "Those guys are young and they've got a lot of technique work that they need to work on, but that's what I'm here for," CU cornerbacks coach Kevin Mathis said during a press conference last week. "Those guys" could include the Buffaloes' entire cornerback group in general, but more specifically, it will be Travis Hunter and Cormani McClain in the spotlight. Hunter was rated the No. 1 prospect in the nation for the class of 2022 before signing with Jackson State to play for head coach Deion Sanders and Mathis. After a year at JSU, Hunter is now at CU after Sanders took over as the Buffaloes' head coach in December.

McClain is ranked as the No. 1 cornerback in the class of 2023 and had been committed to Miami before Sanders took the job at CU. He flipped to the Buffs last month and will arrive in Boulder this summer. A lot of football coaches talk about building a defense from the inside (defensive line and linebackers) out. But, not at CU. "We're probably the only place in America that's gonna start from the outside-in with our corners, because that's who (Sanders) is, that's what we want to build our brand on," Mathis said. "We want to make sure our guys on the outside are locked down and we've got two good ones. "Now, they need work and they're going to get work, but we've got two good ones on the outside that's gonna allow us do what we need to do on the inside of the defense to make plays." - Daily Camera

(DS#15 CB) rSo/2028

CB Cormani McClain, Florida
News Source: Daily Camera
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02/10/23 - Kaleb Boateng, rSr/2024, Florida, 6-3, 280 (DS#999 OG) + More +

Florida coaches and players posted messages of sympathy on social media following the death of former Gators walk-on Kaleb Boateng, who died suddenly on Thursday night at 21. Boateng transferred to Florida from Clemson and was a walk-on with the Gators in 2021. He practiced on both the offensive and defensive lines with the Gators during spring and fall practice under head coach Billy Napier but did not make UF's squad last fall. Napier posted a tribute to Boateng on social media on Friday afternoon. Boateng appeared in five games on the offensive line in two seasons at Clemson before transferring to Florida. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney released a statement regarding Boateng's passing. - Gainesville Sun

(DS#999 OG) rSr/2024

OG Kaleb Boateng, Florida
News Source: Gainesville Sun
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02/06/23 - Damieon George Jr., rSr/2026, Florida, 6-5, 362 (DS#50 OG) + More +

When Florida football opens spring practice on March 4, new faces will take on new roles across both lines of scrimmage. The Gators filled holes on the offensive and defensive fronts due to some expected and some unexpected departures. On the offensive front, Florida added three linemen from the portal with Power 5 conference experience - Baylor guard Micah Mazzucca (6-foot-5, 322 pounds), Alabama tackle Dameion George Jr. (6-6, 372) and Kentucky tackle Kiyaunta Goodwin (6-7, 372).

In recruiting, Florida signed four more offensive linemen out of high school, which included Under All-American starting guard Roderick Kearney (6-4, 292) and four-star tackle Caden Jones (6-6, 307). "It's probably one of the areas where I think we did the best work," Florida coach Billy Napier said. "When you think about, you know, the traits there. We've got some experienced players, but I also think some of the young players that we added have significant height, length, functional movement, bright futures." - Gainesville Sun

(DS#50 OG) rSr/2026

OG Damieon George Jr., Florida
News Source: Gainesville Sun
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01/18/23 - Jack Miller III, rJr/2026, Florida, 6-3, 210 (DS#999 QB) + More +

Quarterback Jaden Rashada wants out of a commitment to Florida due to a failed Name, Image and Likeness agreement worth a reported $13 million. On the heels of 2022 starter Anthony Richardson declaring for the NFL draft and the dismissal of Jalen Kitna due to child pornography charges, the Gators might be left with Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz and Jack Miller III competing this spring. Miller, a redshirt freshman, started for Florida in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Florida coach Billy Napier visited transfer portal option Walker Howard last week. The four-star Louisiana product left LSU after playing only two games in 2022, but he committed to Ole Miss on Wednesday. Napier said at the Under Armour All-American Game on Jan. 3 that he expected Rashada to enroll early to join the team in January. "I have watched this season and Coach Napier and his team are building something very special in The Swamp and I want to be a part of it," Rashada said via Twitter. - Gatorsports.com

(DS#999 QB) rJr/2026

QB Jack Miller III, Florida
News Source: Gatorsports.com
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01/18/23 - Damieon George Jr., rSr/2026, Florida, 6-5, 362 (DS#50 OG) + More +

Alabama junior offensive lineman Damieon George, who said the day after the Iron Bowl in November he was entering the transfer portal, announced Monday that he is transferring to Florida. George revealed his school choice on Instagram after sharing over the weekend that he was visiting Gainesville. George visited Auburn earlier this month, he told 247 Sports and On3 Sports, and also posted on social media from Oxford, Mississippi in early January.

The 6-foot-6, 339-pound George was a three-star recruit in 247 Sports' composite ranking for the 2020 class. The Houston native was a backup right tackle for Alabama but made three starts at that position during the 2021 season. He appeared in 17 total games for the Tide, including the first two of the 2022 season before not appearing in the final 10 of the regular season. - Birmingham News

(DS#50 OG) rSr/2026

OG Damieon George Jr., Florida
News Source: Birmingham News
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01/14/23 - Ricky Pearsall, rSr/2024, Florida, 6-1, 189 (DS#11 WR) + More +

Receiver Ricky Pearsall tossed Gators fans some good news on Saturday. "I'm back," he posted on Twitter. Pearsall announced that he plans to return for his final year of eligibility in 2023. Pearsall debated whether to declare for the draft or return to school, finally revealing his decision on social media. The Gators and head coach Billy Napier will gladly welcome Pearsall back for his second season at UF. Pearsall transferred last spring from Arizona State and proved to be one of Florida's most productive players. "He's a great competitor," Napier said last month. "A guy last made our team better."

A fourth-year junior in 2022, Pearsall was hobbled early in the season by a foot injury suffered the first week of preseason camp. However, once he returned to full speed, Pearsall became one of the team's most dangerous offensive weapons. He caught 33 passes for a career-high 661 yards and five touchdowns, and rushed for 113 yards and a score. He had his best game in the regular-season finale at Florida State, catching five passes for a career-high 148 yards and two touchdowns. - Florida Gators Football

(DS#11 WR) rSr/2024

WR Ricky Pearsall, Florida
News Source: Florida Gators Football
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01/14/23 - J.Michael Sturdivant, rSr/2026, Florida, 6-2, 216 (DS#28 WR) + More +

In the weeks since prized five-star quarterback Dante Moore said he was coming to UCLA, giving the Bruins the top quarterback prospect in school history, one question lingered: Who are his targets? On Friday California's J. Michael Sturdivant, one of the nation's most dazzling young receivers, announced on social media that he will transfer to UCLA.

Sturdivant's arrival is a significant boost to a receiving corps that is losing its top two pass catchers in Jake Bobo and Kazmeir Allen, who are headed for the NFL draft. Sturdivant becomes the 10th transfer to commit to the Bruins, joining quarterback Collin Schlee (Kent State); running backs Carson Steele (Ball State) and Anthony Adkins (Army); tight end Moliki Matavao; guard Spencer Holstege (Purdue); edge rusher Jake Heimlicher (Penn); linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo (Cal); safety Jordan Anderson (Bowling Green); and kicker Blake Glessner (Montana State). - Los Angeles Times

(DS#28 WR) rSr/2026

WR J.Michael Sturdivant, Florida
News Source: Los Angeles Times
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01/01/23 - *Rashad Torrence II, Jr/2023, Florida, 6-0, 193 (DS#13 SS) + More +

Florida Gators starting safety and leading tackler Rashad Torrence II announced on social media Thursday that he's declaring for the NFL Draft. Torrence, an Atlanta native, posted a team-high 84 tackles for Florida in 2022 with one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He appeared in 12 of 13 games for the Gators this season, sitting out the Florida State game due to injury. Torrence is the sixth Gator player with eligibility remaining who opted to declare for the NFL Draft, joining quarterback Anthony Richardson, offensive lineman O'Cyrus Torrence, offensive lineman Richard Gouraige, wide receiver Justin Shorter and defensive lineman Gervon Dexter Sr.

With Torrence declaring for the NFL Draft and defensive back Tre'Vez Johnson entering the transfer portal, the Gators will look to re-tool their starting secondary in 2023. Candidates to replace both players include safeties Kamari Wilson and Miguel Mitchell and defensive back Jadarrius Perkins. Overall, Florida's roster attrition stands at 30 players since the start of the 2022 season, with 21 players entering the transfer portal, six entering the NFL Draft and three players dismissed from the team for disciplinary reasons. - Gainesville Sun

(DS#13 SS) Jr/2023

SS *Rashad Torrence II, Florida
News Source: Gainesville Sun
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12/21/22 - Graham Mertz, rSr/2025, Florida, 6-3, 212 (DS#19 QB) + More +

Former Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz is transferring to Florida, giving the Gators an experienced starter at a depleted position. Mertz announced his commitment on social media Wednesday. He is expected to enroll at the Southeastern Conference school in January. A three-year starter at Wisconsin, Mertz left the program after the Badgers hired former Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell to head its program. He joins a Florida team that lost Anthony Richardson to the NFL draft and dismissed backup Jalen Kitna following his arrest on child pornography charges. Third-stringer Jack Miller started the Las Vegas Bowl against Oregon State and threw for 180 yards and was sacked four times in a 30-3 loss.

The Gators signed four-star quarterback prospect Jaden Rashada on Wednesday as a potential starter in 2023 and could mine the transfer portal for more help at the all-important position, where Florida lost Richardson, Kitna, Emory Jones and Carlos Del Rio-Wilson in a nine-month span. Mertz threw five touchdown passes to help Wisconsin beat Illinois 45-7 in his first career start, setting a school single-game record for completion percentage and tying the school single-game record for TD tosses. But he struggled with consistency the rest of his time with the Badgers. Wisconsin had a different offensive coordinator each of his three seasons as a starter. Mertz has completed 59.5% of his career passes for 5,405 yards, with 38 touchdowns and 26 interceptions. He completed 57.3% of his attempts for 2,136 yards, with 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season. - AP College Football

(DS#19 QB) rSr/2025

QB Graham Mertz, Florida
News Source: AP College Football
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