New Gators Staff Aggressive Yet Particular This Portal Cycle

Florida Gators head coach Jon Sumrall has put together an impressive transfer class in his first portal cycle with the program.

Florida Gators head coach Jon Sumrall has put together an impressive transfer class in his first portal cycle with the program. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

While the Florida Gators have hosted a myriad of transfer targets in Gainesville already this portal cycle, Jon Sumrall and the new staff have remained selective in their aggressiveness during their first month on campus.

Florida has not been shy about attacking the transfer portal since its opening on Jan. 2, hosting over 40 prospects thus far. Yet, despite the extensive numbers brought in, the Gators have been particular in their pursuits. While Florida is tasked with replacing over 30 departures ahead of 2026, 25 of which were on scholarship, multiple Power Four transfers have told Florida Gators on SI that they have not received interest from the school, despite having interest on their side.

“Of course I have interest in the Gators, but at the moment I don’t think they are looking for a guy like me," a former Tulane player with current Power Four offers said.

“I haven’t gotten any interest from Florida, but they look like a solid program," another highly touted transfer told Florida Gators on SI.

While other programs under new former Group of Five head coaches, such as Auburn and Oklahoma State, fill their rosters with transfers from their coaches' last stop, Sumrall and the Gators have rarely hosted Tulane prospects so far, with the only additions from the Green Wave’s 2025 roster being two highly rated specialists.

Instead, 13 of Florida’s 21 commits come from a Power Four conference, while the eight non-Power Four transfers are four specialists, including the two from Tulane, as well as a depth JUCO corner and high-upside Group of Five transfers in running back London Montgomery, defensive lineman Emmanuel Oyebadejo and tight end Lacota Dippre.

Not to mention, Florida has attracted highly-ranked talent from the portal.

While landing receiving Eric Singleton Jr., a top 10 receiver and top 40 transfer in the portal, Florida added a pair of top 10 safeties in DJ Coleman and Cam Dooley, a top 10 running back in Evan Pryor and others within the top 20 of their respective position rankings such as quarterback Aaron Philo (No. 16), interior linemen Harrison Moore (No. 14) and TJ Shanahan Jr. (No. 11), Oyebadejo (No. 12), punter Alec Clark (No. 14) and Dippre (No. 19).

“This is a unique environment because I'm going to have an opportunity to recruit the best players in the country. Like there's no reason why we shouldn't attract the very top end of the talent... That excites me,” Sumrall said about recruiting at Florida. “The SEC is a different league. It's the closest thing you get to the National Football League. That's why I wanted to come.”

Florida has impressively pursued and added premium talent from the portal this cycle, with its class currently ranked inside the top 25 and poised to rise by the time the cycle ends.

Sumrall’s hand-picked staff, filled with high-level collegiate experience and connections, has helped the Gators land multiple commits due to long-standing relationships, while an aggressiveness unlike the last couple years in Gainesville has Florida closing in on its most transfer signees in a cycle in recent times just eight days after the portal's opening.

“They were pretty aggressive but it helped that I was already familiar with the coaches,” Moore, a Georgia Tech transfer, said on the quick pursuit of the staff. “I knew that Florida was the school pretty early on.”

The Gators' refreshing approach to the portal has helped reshape a roster somewhat depleted during a coaching turnover, while Florida has not shown any signs of slowing down in the market any time soon. Sumrall and his staff’s aggressive yet particular maneuvering will likely continue till the cycles close Jan. 16, with Florida Gators on SI tracking all of Florida's portal moves here in the meantime.