Florida Gators Add Big Ten DB Transfer

The Florida Gators' aggressive first portal cycle under new head coach Jon Sumrall continued Monday, earning a commitment from UCLA defensive back Kanye Clark.

Clark, a three-star transfer, according to 247 Sports, spent three seasons with the Bruins and now joins the Gators with three years of eligibility remaining due to an injury-plagued season in 2024 after a redshirt season in 2023. During the 2025 season, the 6-foot, 190-pound defender recorded 23 tackles, two pass deflections and one forced fumble in 207 total snaps.

BREAKING: UCLA transfer DB Kanye Clark has signed with Florida, @PeteNakos reports🐊https://t.co/kSYG7dYADj pic.twitter.com/9NyvYwmWWd
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) January 13, 2026

A low three-star out of high school, Clark walked on at UCLA despite around 13 offers from lower-level schools. He would earn a scholarship as a Bruin in the spring of 2024, starting the year earning serious playing time before an injury would end his redshirt-freshman year just two games in.

“I really cried,” former UCLA defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe said about Clark earning a scholarship at the time. “He represents the D.R.E. (discipline, respect and enthusiasm). When coach [DeShaun Foster] gave him that scholarship, that made me—it filled me with pride more than just Kanye, because it just showed the hard work, regardless of scholarship, walk-on.”

This past season, Clark became an important piece of a Bruins secondary that ranked 27th in opponents passing yards per game amongst the entire country, playing a majority of his snaps in the slot. Though earning a solid 64.1 grade, the new starter returning from injury struggled in coverage, allowing 14 catches for 166 yards and two touchdowns.

Sumrall and the Gators were expected to add to a secondary unit that lost multiple starters to the portal, including former starting slot corners Aaron Gates and Sharif Denson. While Clark is still somewhat young and raw, he now adds experience and potential to the STAR position that looks to be an open competition, with rising sophomore Lagonza Hayward slated as name to watch for the spot heading into spring camp.

He also provides depth at corner behind returning players Dijon Johnson, Cormani McClain, Ben Hanks III and J'Vari Flowers.

Clark is now Florida’s 23rd portal add this cycle under its new staff, with the Gators' haul sitting ranked 16th amongst the country, according to 247 Sports. He joins Kentucky’s Cam Dooley, Baylor’s DJ Coleman and JUCO corner Eli Owens Jr. as reinforcements to Florida’s back-half on defense, where Sumrall hopes to build a strong identity.

“Defensively, we will swarm, and we will attack. We will play with great pursuit of the football and relentless effort. We'll always be on the hunt because that's what Gators do,” Sumrall said on his vision for the defense. “We're going to make our opponents uncomfortable. I want to be the most feared defense in the country.”

The Gators may not be done adding through the portal before it closes Friday, with Florida Gators on SI tracking all of Florida's portal moves here.

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