Florida Lands Commitment From Ohio State LB Transfer Teradja Mitchell
Florida picked up the commitment of Ohio State linebacker transfer Teradja Mitchell on Monday evening.
Mitchell, a product of Virginia Beach (Va.) Bishop Sullivan, is a rising sixth-year senior and will enroll at Florida as a graduate transfer.
After three seasons of primarily special teams play from 2018-20, Mitchell took on a starting role in Ohio State's defense in 2021 and posted 45 tackles with 4.5 for loss in 12 games. An undisclosed injury limited him to just four appearances in 2022, however, leading to his transfer portal entry on Dec. 5.
Mitchell is Florida's fourth portal pickup this postseason, following quarterback Graham Mertz (Wisconsin) and defensive linemen Caleb Banks (Louisville) and Cam'Ron Jackson (Memphis).
His transfer addresses one of the Gators' positions of immediate need entering the offseason, as UF's starting inside linebackers in 2022, Ventrell Miller and Amari Burney, entered the 2023 NFL Draft in December. Additionally, reserve 'backer Diwun Black left the team in November and is in the transfer portal.
Florida signed Lake City (Fla.) Columbia linebacker Jaden Robinson on Dec. 21, its lone high school commit at the position in this recruiting cycle. He and Mitchell will join rising junior Derek Wingo, sophomore Shemar James and redshirt sophomore Scooby Williams in the Gators' linebacker room in 2023.
Mitchell will be expected to compete for a starting role as either Miller or Burney's replacement in the second level of Florida's defense.
That being said, James — who was named to the All-SEC Freshman team in December for his 40-tackle, two-sack debut campaign in 2022 — and Wingo — who filled in for Miller at middle linebacker in the final two games of the season — enter the offseason with momentum leading into the position battle.
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