Gators Finalize Specialist Group with LS Transfer

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- After seeing three senior specialists graduate and their backups all transfer, the Florida Gators turned to the NCAA Transfer Portal to fill those needs. On Thursday night, Florida completed that task.

After receiving commitments from Tulane kicker Patrick Durkin and Tulane punter Alec Clark on Tuesday, the Gators added Louisiana long snapper Carter Milliron on Thursday night. The trio will be tasked with replacing kicker Trey Smack, punter Tommy Doman and long snapper Rocco Underwood, all of whom exhausted their individual collegiate eligibility.

Done deal. #GoGators 🐊🧡💙 pic.twitter.com/Xcj5ogiN0J
— Carter Milliron (@CarterMilliron) January 9, 2026

Additionally, Florida's three redshirt freshmen specialists - kicker Evan Noel, punter Hayden Craig and long snapper Mack Mulhern - after the trio transferred from the program. Craig and Mulhern have since committed to LSU, reuniting with former UF special teams coach Joe Houston.

Milliron (6-0, 257 pounds) joins Florida with one year of eligibility after being Louisiana's long snapper for every game from 2022-24. He only played in four games in 2025, earning a redshirt.

Meanwhile, Durkin and Clark reunite with former Tulane special teams coordinator Johnathan Galante, who followed head coach Jon Sumrall to Florida after one season with the Green Wave. That one season under Galante saw Durkin and Clark emerge as two of the top specialists in the country.

Durkin, a rising redshirt sophomore with three years of eligibility remaining, was the American Conference Special Teams Player of the Year after going 25-for-28 on field goals, including a 4-for-6 mark from 50-plus yards, and 41-for-42 on extra points.

Officially a Gator!🐊 pic.twitter.com/zNOp3UReKp
— Patrick Durkin (@PatrickDurkin24) January 6, 2026

Clark, a rising redshirt junior with two years of eligibility remaining, earned First-Team All-AAC honors in his one season at Tulane after spending his first two seasons at Marshall. In 2025, he averaged 46.52 yards per punt (2,233 total yards) with a long of 70 yards. Out of 48 total punts, Clark had 16 downed inside the 20-yard line and also had 16 go for at least 50 yards.

Including the three specialists, Florida has welcomed 16 total transfers during the 2026 portal window and at least one a day since Sunday, when the Gators received a commitment from Baylor safety DJ Coleman.

Florida added James Madison tight end Lacota Dippre, Georgia Tech receiver Bailey Stockton and Baylor defensive lineman DK Kalu on Monday before Clark, Durkin, Cincinnati running back Evan Pyror, Penn State offensive linemen TJ Shanahan and Eagan Boyer, Georgia Tech quarterback Aaron Philo and Jacksonville State defensive lineman Emmanuel Oyebadejo joined on Tuesday.

Wake Forest receiver Micah Mays Jr., Kentucky defensive back Cam Dooley and JUCO corner Elijah Owens joined on Wednesday, and ECU running back London Montgomery and Carter Milliron joined on Thursday.

Florida also holds predictions to land a pair of offensive linemen in Georgia Tech transfer Harrison Moore and Stanford transfer Emeka Ugorji and is hosting multiple prospects on Friday, namely Duke transfer receiver Que'Sean Brown and Georgia Tech transfer tight end Luke Harpring.

"We will use the transfer portal. If you've studied my rosters the last couple years, I haven't had the resources to keep very many of my good players. They all end up getting poached," Sumrall said of his portal plan after being introduced as the Gators' next head coach last month. "So I've had to embrace the transfer portal probably more than most, maybe even more than I'd like to at times, by necessity.

"But we will use the portal to enhance our team and to supplement where there may be holes or deficiencies."

The NCAA Transfer Portal closes on Jan. 16. Florida Gators on SI is tracking all of Florida's portal moves here.

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