First-year Gators coach Jon Sumrall is eager to learn more about his new team this spring. (Photo: Hannah White/UAA Communications)
Carter's Corner: Sumrall Ready To Evaluate After Two Months of Roster Churn
Thursday, February 5, 2026 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Gators coach Jon Sumrall, in his first press conference inside the Heavener Football Training Center since his introduction two months ago, got straight to business on Wednesday.
"Appreciate you all being here to cover, I guess, what used to be signing day,'' Sumrall opened. "It's not really signing day anymore. That's kind of gone and passed. Today is maybe, sort of, roster finalization day to some degree."
National Roster Finalization Day doesn't exactly roll off the tongue as smooth as National Signing Day, but then again, what does in today's college football landscape. The sport has changed rapidly in recent years and shows no signs of calming down any time soon as lawsuits, tampering charges and College Football Playoff expansion linger at the 50-yard line.
Still, the game remains wildly popular and Sumrall's arrival has injected a much-needed dose of enthusiasm for Florida fans beaten down by a difficult five-year stretch.
Soon after Sumrall was hired in early December, Florida inked its first group of high school players under his watch. And in the weeks that followed, as Sumrall led his Tulane team into the CFB Playoff, he began the work of finalizing his first UF roster through the transfer portal.
That job is complete (for now) with only one transfer portal window open under the system that is now in place.
"We kind of know who's on our team, especially now that there's no second portal window, which I'm probably in the minority there,'' Sumrall said. "I'd be okay with a second portal window, being a first-year head coach, because I think it gives you a chance to maybe assess who you are through the spring and maybe re-calibrate if you've got some gaps within your roster.
"Like where we're at in a lot of ways. Don't really know where we're at in a lot of ways, too."
While the football-centric websites that cover the Gators spent much of December and January chasing the comings and goings in the transfer portal, we here at FloridaGators.com are limited in our coverage (for now) due to compliance rules, but now we can take a closer look at the transactions of the past several weeks.
Here are post-National Signing Day charts looking at the fresh faces still finding their way around campus, and those who exited the building during the coaching transition:
HELLO NEWCOMERS …
*Preferred walk-on
GOODBYE TRANSFERS …
*Preferred walk-on
"Appreciate you all being here to cover, I guess, what used to be signing day,'' Sumrall opened. "It's not really signing day anymore. That's kind of gone and passed. Today is maybe, sort of, roster finalization day to some degree."
National Roster Finalization Day doesn't exactly roll off the tongue as smooth as National Signing Day, but then again, what does in today's college football landscape. The sport has changed rapidly in recent years and shows no signs of calming down any time soon as lawsuits, tampering charges and College Football Playoff expansion linger at the 50-yard line.
Still, the game remains wildly popular and Sumrall's arrival has injected a much-needed dose of enthusiasm for Florida fans beaten down by a difficult five-year stretch.
Soon after Sumrall was hired in early December, Florida inked its first group of high school players under his watch. And in the weeks that followed, as Sumrall led his Tulane team into the CFB Playoff, he began the work of finalizing his first UF roster through the transfer portal.
That job is complete (for now) with only one transfer portal window open under the system that is now in place.
"We kind of know who's on our team, especially now that there's no second portal window, which I'm probably in the minority there,'' Sumrall said. "I'd be okay with a second portal window, being a first-year head coach, because I think it gives you a chance to maybe assess who you are through the spring and maybe re-calibrate if you've got some gaps within your roster.
"Like where we're at in a lot of ways. Don't really know where we're at in a lot of ways, too."
While the football-centric websites that cover the Gators spent much of December and January chasing the comings and goings in the transfer portal, we here at FloridaGators.com are limited in our coverage (for now) due to compliance rules, but now we can take a closer look at the transactions of the past several weeks.
Here are post-National Signing Day charts looking at the fresh faces still finding their way around campus, and those who exited the building during the coaching transition:
HELLO NEWCOMERS …
| PLAYER | POS. | HT/WT | SCHOOL | COMMENT |
| DJ Coleman | S | 6-1/210 | Baylor | Had 46 tackles, 6.5 for loss, 2 INT in 12 games last season; 35 games with Bears over three seasons |
| Lacota Dippre | TE | 6-3/252 | James Madison | Caught 17 passes, 192 yards, 3 TDs in 2025; started career at Charlotte as a defensive lineman |
| DK Kalu | DT | 6-4/309 | Baylor | Rejoins Bears teammate Brendan Bett with Gators, who could use him to up production (11 tackles last season) |
| Bailey Stockton | WR | 5-11/185 | Georgia Tech | Had 38 catches, 439 yards, 1 TD in two seasons at GT, including 21 for 233 yards last season |
| Alec Clark | P | 6-1/184 | Tulane | Australian led the AAC by averaging 46.5 yards per punt, and booted 16 inside 20; started career at Marshall |
| Patrick Durkin | K | 5-10/175 | Tulane | Blossomed as AAC Special Teams POY in 2025, making 25 of 28 FGA |
| Evan Pryor | RB | 5-9/195 | Cincinnati | Rushed for 522 yards and 6.9 yards per carry last season; Sumrall impressed by edge he has shown in workouts |
| Eagan Boyer | OT | 6-8/302 | Penn State | Rotation player at Penn State, earning start in Pinstripe Bowl; followed OL coach Phil Trautwein to UF |
| TJ Shanahan Jr. | OG | 6-4/315 | Penn State | Started career at Texas A&M and made five starts in only season at Penn State; won a state title in high school |
| Emmanuel Oyebadejo | DE | 6-7/295 | Jacksonville State | Grew up in England and developed into a force at FCS Jacksonville State; 41 tackles, 4.5 sacks in 2025 |
| Aaron Philo | QB | 6-2/220 | Georgia Tech | Backup to Haynes King past two seasons, starting once; familiar with OC Buster Faulkner's offense |
| Micah Mays Jr. | WR | 6-2/196 | Wake Forest | Florida native had 34 catches, 520 yards, 4 TDs in past two seasons for Demon Deacons |
| Cam Dooley | S | 6-2/208 | Kentucky | Exceptional athlete had 30 tackles, an INT and forced fumble last season for Wildcats under DC Brad White |
| Elijah Owens | DB | 6-3/210 | Mississippi Gulf Coast CC | Had 65 tackles and an INT in only season in junior college; provides depth at a position of need for Gators |
| London Montgomery | RB | 5-11/197 | East Carolina | Signed with Penn State, transferred to East Carolina, where he rushed for 1,001 yards, 9 TDs in two seasons |
| Emeka Ugorji | OL | 6-5/300 | Stanford | Started eight games as a true freshman for Cardinal, seven at right guard; promising addition to roster |
| Harrison Moore | C | 6-5/300 | Georgia Tech | Started nine games last season and did not allow a sack; Faulkner calls him a "throwback" similar to Jake Slaughter |
| Carter Milliron | LS | 6-0/257 | Louisiana | Appeared in 44 games for Ragin' Cajuns and will compete to replace reliable Rocco Underwood |
| Luke Harpring | TE | 6-3/240 | Georgia Tech | A four-star prospect out of high school, Harpring snagged 16 passes for 201 yards in 17 appearances at GT |
| Eric Singleton Jr. | WR | 5-10/180 | Auburn | Started career at Georgia Tech, and in one season at Auburn, speedster had 58 catches for 534 yards a season ago |
| Miller Fealy* | P | 6-2/210 | UT-Martin | Australian played at Southwestern Oklahoma State in 2025, signed with Gators after brief alliance with UT-Martin |
| TJ Bullard* | LB | 6-1/215 | UCF | Primarily a special teams player in four seasons at UCF; legacy Gator whose father is Thaddeus Bullard |
| Kanye Clark | S | 6-0/190 | UCLA | California native made way onto field last season to finish with 23 tackles and forced fumble at CB and nickel |
| Jaylen Lloyd | WR | 5-10/180 | Oklahoma State | Started career at Nebraska, where he caught 19 passes in two seasons; nonfactor with Cowboys, rebooting |
| Hunter Solwold* | LS | 6-3/240 | Washington | Played in Under-Armour All-American Game out of HS; appeared in one game in only season with Huskies |
| Mason Clinton | DL | 6-5/265 | Southern Miss | Well-traveled with stops at Louisiana-Lafayette, East Mississippi JC, Southern Miss, UF; 16 tackles in 2025 |
| Evan Chieca | TE | 6-5/250 | New Haven | First UF transfer from FCS-level New Haven, where he caught 31 passes and 4 TDs last season |
| Jordy Lowery | DB | 5-11/167 | East Carolina | Bartow native had six picks with Western Carolina in 2024; in only season at ECU, had 27 tackles |
| Ace Ciongoli* | WR | 5-11/190 | Indiana | A Massachusetts native, Ciongoli did not play as a freshman with Hoosiers and found a home at UF |
| Tripp Brown Jr.* | TE | 6-5/237 | Tampa Plant | Prep signee played at winning program in Tampa and finished with 25 touchdowns and All-State nod |
| Liam Padron* | K | 5-9/205 | Texas A&M | Adds depth in kicking room after limited action with Aggies; played at Bartram Trail HS in St. Johns County |
GOODBYE TRANSFERS …
| PLAYER | POS. | HT/WT | SCHOOL | COMMENT |
| Muizz Tounkara | WR | 6-3/208 | Houston | Under-the-radar project former staff seemed seek landed back home in Texas |
| Tarvorise Brown | DL | 6-7/296 | North Carolina | Flashed in preseason camp but was a nonfactor and starts fresh with Tar Heels |
| DJ Lagway | QB | 6-3/247 | Baylor | Face of program made 19 UF starts but inconsistency and coaching change led to exit |
| KD Daniels | RB | 5-11/203 | Wake Forest | Touchdown in Gasparilla Bowl his highlight with Gators |
| Mike Peterson Jr.* | WR | 6-1/164 | Florida A&M | Legacy Gator moved on in search of opportunity to play |
| Josiah Davis | S | 6-1/199 | Norfolk State | Unable to get onto field at UF, part of Coach Michael Vick's second signing class |
| Jordan Castell | S | 6-2/213 | Kentucky | Three-year starter who was serviceable; veteran landed with Wildcats in SEC |
| Aidan Mizell | WR | 6-2/185 | UCLA | Had a couple of moments but plagued by injuries, inconsistency |
| Teddy Foster | CB | 6-1/186 | USF | Not a lot to remember in short UF stay; second chance under new USF regime |
| Marcus Mascoll | OL | 6-5/308 | Georgia State | See above: Foster; should have better chance to play in return home to Atlanta |
| Jamroc Grimsley | CB | 6-2/198 | Mississippi State | Never fit in after transferring from Alabama |
| Tank Hawkins | WR | 5-10/178 | Washington State | Said goodbye before season was over; offers WSU speed in cross-country move |
| Grayson Howard | LB | 6-4/236 | USF | Lost his job and apparently his desire to play for Gators as he remained on sideline |
| Hayden Hansen | TE | 6-6/269 | Oklahoma | Workmanlike player who was a regular contributor in two tight-end sets |
| Michai Boireau | DL | 6-5/349 | Ole Miss | A promising player who Rebels poached; clinched Billy Napier's final UF win |
| Enoch Wangoy | OL | 6-7/333 | Ole Miss | OK, need to look up where he was from — England. Makes sense he landed in Oxford. |
| Devon Manuel | OL | 6-7/307 | Appalachian State | He was here but seemed invisible after transferring from Arkansas |
| Naeshaun Montgomery | WR | 6-1/189 | Missouri | Arrived with promise but played sparingly in a talented receivers room |
| Noel Portnjagin | OL | 6-5/306 | James Madison | OK, need to look up where he was from, too — Germany. Rejoined Napier at JMU |
| Eugene Wilson III | WR | 5-10/194 | LSU | Injuries zapped production after a stellar freshman season created buzz |
| Sharif Denson | DB | 5-11/195 | Ole Miss | Physical player who showed promise moved on to join Boireau with Rebels |
| Chad Gasper Jr. | RB | 5-11/206 | TBA | Was not around long and next stop remains uncertain |
| Aaron Gates | DB | 6-0/198 | Kentucky | One of team's best DBs in 2024 until injuries resurfaced and set him back in 2025 |
| DeBraun Hampton* | WR | 5-10/187 | Baylor | HS teammate of Lagway's heads back home with his QB |
| Jackson Wade* | WR | 5-11/185 | Boston College | Special-teams player left for BC to make his mark |
| Evan Noel | K | 6-0/165 | Houston | Top-rated recruit, DNP in 2025 behind Trey Smack |
| Treyaun Webb | RB | 5-11/217 | Appalachian State | Had 93 yards on 21 carries as freshman; injured in 2025, fresh start with Mountaineers |
| Cameron Kossmann | TE | 6-5/245 | Boston College | Only appearance came in season opener, left for Eagles |
| Ja'Kobi Jackson | RB | 5-11/214 | Ohio State | Injury spoiled his 2025 season but found a good landing spot with Buckeyes |
| Scott Isacks III* | TE | 6-4/250 | UAB | Played on special teams in 2023-24, but DNP last season; gets a second chance at UAB |
| Hayden Craig | P | 2026 | LSU | DNP, short stay at UF for Canadian import now in Baton Rouge |
| Mack Mulhern | LS | 2026 | LSU | DNP as freshman after coming to UF from Arizona; joined Craig at LSU |
| Tony Livingston | TE | 2026 | Baylor | Joins Lagway with Bears; caught 23 passes for 232 yards and 4 TDs at UF |
| Brien Taylor Jr. | DL | 2026 | TBA | Seeking another year of eligibility; recently visited Clemson and Tennessee |
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