Early transfer portal expectations for Florida Gators football – who could leave, and what holes need to be filled most this offseason

The Florida Gators aren’t immune to players leaving in the transfer portal, and Jon Sumrall has multiple key areas to attack.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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UF Athletic Director Scott Stricklin and new UF head football coach Jon Sumrall pose with a jersey at a press conference James W. “Bill” Heavener Football Training Center in Gainesville, FL on Monday, December 1, 2025.
Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun

The Florida Gators finished the 2024 season with a 4-8 record, and the second half of the season was focused on hiring a new head coach to replace Billy Napier. They found their guy in Tulane Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall, and he’s been putting in the work to set the Gators up for success while navigating the College Football Playoff.

We’ve seen the Gators lose a lot of players to the transfer portal this past week, which isn’t much of a surprise. It has provided clarity on what the Gators need to do when they add to the roster this year. Here is a primer for what the Gators need to do.

Florida Gators transfer portal needs

Defensive line

The Gators have lost multiple defensive linemen so far. Defensive tackle Caleb Banks, edge rusher Tyreak Sapp, and edge rusher George Gumbs Jr. are all entering the NFL Draft, and defensive tackle Michai Boireau entered the transfer portal.

Losing four of your top-eight players isn’t a huge surprise, but games are won in the trenches. They did bring in three four-stars in edge rusher KJ Ford, edge rusher JaReylan McCray, and defensive tackle Kendall Guervil. If they can keep Jayden Woods in the fold, adding a couple of starting-level players will go a long way.

Quarterback

It was surprising to see DJ Lagway enter the transfer portal, especially since he reportedly wanted to stay at Florida. With him leaving, the Gators need to find someone to, at a minimum, compete for the job. Redshirt freshman Trammel Jones Jr. is sticking around to compete for the starting job, as is incoming freshman Florida Gatorade Player of the Year Will Griffin, but the portal will be a priority for the Gators.

One name to look out for is Georgia Tech’s Aaron Philo. He played for Buster Faulkner this past season and broke Trevor Lawrence’s passing records in the state of Georgia. They could get into the market for a better option, but Philo is intriguing.

Retaining weapons

The Gators already had three wide receivers and one running back hit the transfer portal, but the good part is that only Aidan Mizell was a serious contributor. Luckily for the Gators, the heavy hitters are still with the program.

Wide receivers Dallas Wilson and Vernell Brown III are still in Gainesville, and the program hopes it can do enough to keep them. They both flashed last season, but they aren’t the top priority. That belongs to Jadan Baugh, who has already been linked to the transfer portal.

The key to keeping him may be who the Gators hire as running backs coach, as his relationship with Jabbar Juluke, now at Texas, is a significant factor.

Secondary

The Gators used to be known as DBU by some after their massive success in the 1990s, 2000s, and the first half of the 2010s. The last decade hasn’t seen the same level of success, especially among players transitioning to the NFL.

So far, the Gators have had three players enter the transfer portal, including starting safety Jordan Castell. They also have cornerback Devin Moore out of eligibility, and the possibility of starter Cormani McClain entering the transfer portal.

Dijon Johnson will likely be back this year, and the Gators have multiple true freshmen from this past season ready to step into bigger roles. Even so, they could use upward of three more starters to ensure this group is ready for the SEC gauntlet.

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