GAINESVILLE, Fla. — As I watched the Utah-Penn State Rose Bowl on Monday, my thoughts drifted to the night four months ago that the Gators opened the season with that thrilling 29-26 win over the Utes.
Yes, a lot has happened since then.
And then I realized that in eight months, the Gators will face the Utes again, this time in Salt Lake City and with a much different looking roster. Utah will have plenty of new players as well, but probably not as many as the Gators, who have undergone an extreme makeover in Year 1 under head coach
Billy Napier.
The chief storyline for the Gators since the end of the regular season has been the departure of a large bulk of the roster, either via the transfer portal, dismissal or natural attrition.
While the Gators
reloaded on the Early National Signing Day last month, as 2023 kicks off, Florida continues to add players to the roster heading into Napier's second season.
The latest addition is linebacker
Teradja Mitchell, a former starter at Ohio State who saw limited time in 2022 due to a hamstring injury. Mitchell registered 45 tackles, including 4.5 for loss, in 2021.
He played in only four games in 2022 and redshirted, providing him an additional season of eligibility.
"When I got injured, I realized that was an opportunity for me,'' Mitchell told the
Columbus Dispatch prior to Ohio State's national semifinal game against Georgia. "I just wanted to give myself an opportunity to play. I've dealt with a lot of things. I prayed about it, and I felt like that was my best option."
The 6-foot-2, 239-pound Mitchell is from Virginia Beach, Va., and played as Bishop Sullivan High. He was one of five finalists for the High School Butkus Award as the nation's top prep linebacker his senior season.
Meanwhile, Florida has also added transfers in defensive tackle
Cam'Ron Jackson (Memphis), quarterback
Graham Mertz (Wisconsin) and defensive lineman
Caleb Banks (Louisville).
Jackson is a 6-foot-6, 340-pound defensive tackle who finished the season with 41 tackles and a sack. He is from Haynesville, La.
Mertz is the most recognizable name among Florida's newcomers. He started the past 32 games for the Badgers and arrived in Madison as a top-25 national recruit. In three seasons, Mertz has 5,405 passing yards with 38 touchdowns and 26 interceptions, going 19-13 as a starting quarterback.
Finally, the 6-foot-7, 300-pound Banks appeared in only eight games in two seasons at Louisville. He is from Southfield, Mich., and provides the Gators depth on the interior defensive line.
As for those Gators on the roster when the 2022 season opened against Utah, here is a look at who won't be around when the 2023 season opens:
Roster Rollover
A look at Gators who have moved on for various reasons since the start of last season:
| Player |
POS. |
Reason |
Destination |
Notable |
| Josh Braun |
OL |
Transfer portal |
Arkansas |
Started 7 games in 2021; played in 2 this season; announced transfer Oct. 18 |
| Trent Whittemore |
WR |
Transfer portal |
TBA |
Reserve appeared in 7 games this season before transfer announcement Nov. 14 |
| Nick Elksnis |
TE |
Transfer portal |
South Carolina |
Reserve played in five games, did not record a reception; revealed plans Nov. 15 |
| Griffin McDowell |
TE |
Transfer portal |
UT-Chattanooga |
Former DL appeared in 3 games; made transfer announcement Nov. 16 |
| Kamar Wilcoxson |
DB |
Transfer portal |
Temple |
IMG Academy product played in 2 games and announced transfer decision Nov. 3 |
| Avery Helm |
DB |
Transfer portal |
Texas Christian |
Started first 4 games, played in 10, announced departure Nov. 28 |
| Daejon Reynolds |
WR |
Transfer portal |
TBA |
Reserve had 8 catches, 165 yards at Vanderbilt; announced transfer Dec. 1 |
| Lorenzo Lingard |
RB |
Transfer portal |
Akron |
Former 5-star recruit and Miami signee, played in 10 games; revealed plans Dec. 1 |
| Nay'Quan Wright |
RB |
Transfer portal |
TBA |
Dropped down depth chart in 2022 after 326-yard season, announced transfer decision Dec. 2 |
| Donovan McMillon |
DB |
Transfer portal |
Pitt |
Appeared in 12 games, made 20 tackles in reserve role; transfer announced Dec. 2 |
| Corey Collier Jr. |
DB |
Transfer portal |
Nebraska |
Four-star signee, played in 4 games prior to transfer announcement on Dec. 4 |
| David Reese |
LB |
Transfer portal |
TBA |
Oft-injured early in career, saw action in 12 games in 2022; Dec. 4 announcement |
| Chief Borders |
LB |
Transfer portal |
Nebraska |
Popular reserve served as backup and on special teams; made intent public Dec. 5 |
| Yousef Mugharbil |
OL |
Transfer portal |
TBA |
DNP this season; suffered scooter accident and injured August 2021; Dec. 5 transfer |
| Jalen Lee |
DL |
Transfer portal |
Louisiana State |
Started 3 games, played in 12; transfer portal reports surfaced Dec. 5 |
| Anthony Richardson |
QB |
NFL Draft |
TBA |
Gators starting quarterback, potential first-round pick, declared for draft Dec. 5 |
| Gervon Dexter Sr. |
DL |
NFL Draft |
TBA |
Talented UF defensive lineman started 12 games, announced plans Dec. 5 |
| O'Cyrus Torrence |
OL |
NFL Draft |
TBA |
Potential first-round pick made decision public Dec. 4; transferred from Louisiana |
| Justin Shorter |
WR |
NFL Draft |
TBA |
Started 9 games, missed 3 because of injury; announced plans Dec. 1 |
| Richard Gouraige |
OL |
NFL Draft |
TBA |
Fifth-year senior started 42 games and had a COVID season of eligibility remaining but opted to enter draft |
| Ventrell Miller |
LB |
NFL Draft |
TBA |
Returned for a sixth season and had 74 tackles and 8.5 TFL prior to opting out of Las Vegas Bowl |
| Jordan Pouncey |
WR |
Post-college |
TBA |
Team leader served as strong presence in locker room after transferring from Texas in 2020 |
| Brenton Cox Jr. |
DL |
Dismissed |
NFL Draft |
Started first 8 games, had 35 tackles; dismissed following Georgia game |
| Diwun Black |
LB |
Dismissed |
TBA |
Recorded 4 tackles in 10 games; played mostly special teams before Nov. 16 exit |
| Jalen Kitna |
QB |
Dismissed |
TBA |
Backup arrested Dec. 1, removed from roster next day following serious online criminal charges |
| Chris Thomas Jr. |
DL |
Transfer portal |
TBA |
Seldom-used reserve entered transfer portal at Florida twice, which surpasses his total tackles (one) in 2022 |
| Lloyd Summerall III |
DL |
Transfer portal |
South Florida |
Summerall played 11 games in 2022, mostly on special teams; entered portal on Dec. 6 |
| Tre'Vez Johnson |
S |
Transfer portal |
TBA |
Started 16 games past two seasons at STAR position; announced transfer plans Dec. 23 |
| Jordan Young |
CB |
Transfer portal |
TBA |
Redshirt freshman played in 10 games, highlighted by blocked kick in Las Vegas Bowl loss |
| Michael Tarquin |
OL |
Transfer portal |
Southern Cal |
Starting right tackle entered portal Dec. 22, committed to USC eight days later |
| Ethan White |
OL |
Transfer portal |
TBA |
Starting left guard announced transfer plans Dec. 24; versatility up front during time with Gators |
| Rashad Torrence II |
S |
NFL Draft |
TBA |
Two-year starter announced Dec. 29 his plan to forego final season of eligibility to enter the draft |
| Amari Burney |
LB |
NFL Draft |
TBA |
Senior finished career with his best season, registering career-high 79 tackles and four sacks |
| Trey Dean III |
S |
NFL Draft |
TBA |
Made 40 career starts and finished season with 81 tackles, second on team behind Torrence's 84 |
