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LB Mannie Nunnery Withdrawing From Transfer Portal, Returning to Florida

Linebacker Mannie Nunnery will exhaust his remaining college eligibility with the Gators, after all.

Photo: Florida linebacker Mannie Nunnery; Credit: Gators Creative Media

Following a brief stint in the NCAA transfer portal, linebacker Mannie Nunnery has elected to withdraw his name from the service and return to Florida for his final season of college eligibility, according to Jacob Rudner of Swamp247.

Nunnery, a rising redshirt senior, entered the portal as a graduate student on Jan. 11, doing so for the second time in his career, as he transferred to Florida from Houston before the 2023 season, after four years with the Cougars.

Nunnery appeared in every game for Florida in 2023, making three starts at linebacker due to injuries at the position in the back half of the campaign.

In his lone season with the Gators, Nunnery recorded 28 tackles, half a sack, 1.5 for loss and a pass breakup.

Paired with his production at Houston, Nunnery has compiled 109 total tackles with 8.5 for loss, three sacks, three pass breakups and a forced fumble in his college career. 

Nunnery’s return offers Florida a candidate to start opposite rising junior Shemar James at inside linebacker. Scooby Williams, who occupied the spot next to James in 2023, transferred to Texas A&M this offseason.

He’ll face several new faces in competition for snaps at the position, however. 

Florida acquired South Carolina sophomore transfer Grayson "Pup" Howard earlier this offseason, paired with the December signings of consensus top-100 class of 2024 prospects, Myles Graham and Aaron Chiles, in an effort to solidify the middle of the Gators’ defense for years to come. 

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