ESPN Reveals Florida Gators Top Transfer

The Florida Gators were relatively quiet in the December transfer portal. They only signed five players and were ranked a lowly 87th by 247 Sports.

However, the Gators are a young team and were strategic with their veteran additions in December. No matter how dire the situation appeared a year ago, seeing UF on the rise resonates throughout the college football landscape.

ESPN’s Max Olson listed the top transfer portal addition for every team in the way too early top 25, and he chose former UCLA wide receiver J.Michael Sturdivant for the No. 18 Gators.

Strong Room

Olson sees Sturdivant as the glue to hold the group together, much like Chimere Dike and Elijhah Badger did last season.

"The Gators needed to add help at wide receiver for quarterback DJ Lagway after their two top wideouts graduated,” Olson wrote on ESPN+ “Sturdivant is a proven playmaker. The former Freshman All-American has produced 123 career catches for 1,667 yards and 13 touchdowns over three seasons at UCLA and Cal.

“The 6-foot-3, 205-pound redshirt senior will bring veteran leadership to a receiver room full of promising blue-chip talent including Eugene Wilson III, Aidan Mizell and top-50 incoming recruits Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson.”

Analysis

The proven playmaker aspect holds water. Averaging 30 catches over the last three seasons, he has the ability to not only move the chains, but threaten defenses. Florida needed wideouts with a combination of experience and veteran tools.

For example, working back to the quarterback. Those steps will help maintain drives. Meanwhile, young wideouts will pick up on this trait and add to their arsenal. Behind Sturdivant, UF boasts one of the most athletic and deep wide receiver rooms in the SEC.

Trey Wilson returning in great health along with freshmen Wilson and Brown will provide the spark vertically. Additionally, after toiling at the backend of the depth chart, Mizell's speed and potential exist. Now he needs to put it together.

Mentor

Despite playing just one year at Florida, Chimere Dike needs credit in the process of returning the Gators back to being contenders. Graham Mertz joins him. Their leadership helped the younger players maintain their buy-in, holding the team together through rough periods.

Now, Studivant gets to operate in the same capacity as Dike. DJ Lagway gets receivers that know him, with others that will work into the system.

Overview

Billy Napier pulled off a near-miracle, actually two of them, last season. Navigating a schedule that could've signaled his end, and then parlaying that into a recruiting class that absolutely will make the Gators a threat to shock the upper echelon of the SEC.

Now, the proof remains in the pudding, but the Florida Gators landed a player in J. Michael Sturdivant as someone who can help accelerate the process.