Transfer Portal Watch: Elijah Blades Officially Visiting Gators
The Florida Gators have made plenty of efforts over the month bringing in recruits from across the nation to officially and unofficially visit the team's football program.
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While Florida will look to add many talents over the next couple of years to its recruiting classes, the transfer portal will also become one of the most popular tools for Florida, especially given the lax rules that have now been established within both the NCAA as a whole and the SEC.
One of the latest to potentially sign on with Florida via the portal is former Gators commit Elijah Blades, who entered the transfer portal following a two-year stint with the Texas A&M Aggies. Blades is officially visiting UF this weekend, according to 247Sports.
Blades opted out last season during the coronavirus pandemic along with plenty of other athletes across the nation. He opted back in near the end of the year but ultimately did not play before the season ended.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound defensive back originally committed to the Gators during the Jim McElwain era in 2017. However, just prior to signing with Florida, Blades would decommit opting to take his talents to the junior college level. He would play his first two years at the collegiate football level at Arizona Western Junior College.
Entering his recruitment, Blades would be a four-star prospect.
Blades had this to say in 2017 addressing his recruitment and decommitment from the Florida football program:
“First off, I want to say thank you to the University of Florida and the staff for giving me a chance to play at their school, but I would like to reopen my recruitment up and think about what’s the best decision for me. Florida is still in it. [It’s] coming down to signing day.”
In 2019, Blades started six games for the Aggies, recording 19 tackles, 1.5 sacks and three pass breakups.
For Florida, if they were to land Blades he would become the second defensive back added via the portal this offseason, joining former Missouri cornerback Jadarius Perkins.
Along with Blades, Florida is bringing in edge DJ Wesolak (Boonville, MO), kicker Alex McPherson (Fort Payne, AL), running back Terrance Gibbs (Winter Park, Fla.), linebacker Shemar James (Mobile, Ala.) and receiver Chandler Smith (Orlando, Fla.) on visits over the weekend.
