Napier Talks Incoming Transfers, Plans for Spring Portal

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier had his first public opportunity to discuss his 2025 transfer class during his National Signing Day press conference.

In all, the Gators added five total players via the portal during the spring window in punter Tommy Doman (Michigan), receiver J. Michael Sturdivant (UCLA), edge rusher Kofi Asare (UMASS), quarterback Harrison Bailey (Louisville) and corner Micheal Caraway Jr. (Southern Miss).

"I think positional needs," Napier said. "I think ultimately you're getting this as much like the NFL: your draft class, your free-agent class, what do you got coming back? What did you lose? I think it was an expensive cycle, just be very blunt about it. So that affects your strategy to some degree."

Doman and Sturdivant will become immediate contenders to start at their respective positions following departures to the NFL in those rooms, while Asare, Bailey and Caraway Jr. are expected to provide much-needed depth.

Bailey, notably, became a much-needed addition after depth issues at quarterback plagued the Gators midseason and transfer signee Deshawn Purdie left before ever joining the team. He'll be expected to compete with freshman signee Tramell Jones Jr., who missed most of his senior season due to injury, and incumbent backup Aidan Warner as DJ Lagway's backup.

"I think we had a gap in there, you know, and I think it was challenging to add players to the team given DJ and the success he was having as a rookie. But yeah, I think Harrison, that was a big deal to get a guy who's played in the SEC, who's prepared as the backup or a starter for a long time," Napier said. "A proven, good passer, accurate passer. Just recently played the bowl game and was the MVP and played really well in the game. So, I think some of the carryover, multiple systems, a lot of reps in the bank and a very highly regarded guy coming out of high school."

However, Florida fell short of adding flashy names through the portal, although the production of recent underrated additions such as George Gumbs Jr., Chimere Dike and others give the Gators conviction in who it's added.

"I think we've been pretty spot on in terms of the production that we get," Napier said. "So we're hopeful we’ve done that."

Napier also explained that the Gators' stacked high school signing class, which ranked inside the top-10 after adding four-star corner Onis Konanbanny, gives him conviction about how many experienced players he adds via the portal.

"This is probably our third big group, really, fourth, big group of high school players. Our portal number has went down each cycle. After the first month of season, I was like, ‘Maybe I misjudged this thing and messed it up.’ But I do still have conviction about it," he said. "Young players at certain positions need time, and then there are some that are able to contribute early. I think we've got competitive depth across the board there."

However, the Gators may not be done adding to its roster after spring camp, Napier said, depending on what's available and what needs Florida has.

"There's another cycle in the spring. We have typically gotten through spring ball, assessed the roster. What do we need to go try to go address some things," he explained. "... We added some pieces there in the second cycle that proved to be beneficial for the team. Look, you've got four opportunities currently to add players to the team. So we're going to use each cycle, take a good look at what we got and then trying to make good decisions.”

The NCAA spring portal window opens April 16 before closing on on April 25.