_BREAKING NEWS: UF FOOTBALL TRANSFER TRACKER: GATORS ADD BACK-UP QB, UMASS EDGE RUSHER_

 

In a significant boost to their roster, the Florida Gators have added two new players through the transfer portal, including a back-up quarterback and an edge rusher from UMass.

 

The Gators’ first addition is quarterback Graham Mertz, a transfer from Wisconsin. Mertz, a 6’3″ 215-pound quarterback from Overland Park, Kansas, had a standout career at Wisconsin, throwing for over 5,000 yards and 35 touchdowns in three seasons as a starter.

 

Mertz’s decision to transfer to Florida is a significant coup for the Gators, who were in need of a experienced back-up quarterback. With Mertz on board, the Gators now have a talented and deep quarterback room, with Anthony Richardson and Jaden Rashada also vying for playing time.

 

“We’re thrilled to welcome Graham to the Gator family,” said Florida head coach Billy Napier. “He’s a talented quarterback with a lot of experience, and we’re excited to see him compete for the back-up job.”

 

The Gators’ second addition is edge rusher Billy Wooden, a transfer from UMass. Wooden, a 6’4″ 250-pound edge rusher from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, had a standout career at UMass, recording 14.5 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss in three seasons.

 

Wooden’s decision to transfer to Florida is a significant boost to the Gators’ pass rush, which had been a major concern heading into the offseason. With Wooden on board, the Gators now have a talented and deep group of edge rushers, including Zachary Carter and Isaiah Nixon.

 

“We’re excited to welcome Billy to the Gator family,” said Napier. “He’s a talented edge rusher with a lot of experience, and we’re looking forward to seeing him contribute to our pass rush.”

 

The additions of Mertz and Wooden are significant boosts to the Gators’ roster, and demonstrate the program’s commitment to building a talented and deep team.

 

“We’re thrilled to add Graham and Billy to our roster,” said Napier. “They’re both talented players who will help us compete at a high level. We’re excited to see them in action and contribute to our team’s success.”

 

The Gators will look to build on their recruiting momentum in the coming weeks, with several other top prospects still considering the program.

 

“We’re excited to see where our recruiting efforts take us,” said Napier. “We’re building something special here at Florida, and we’re looking forward to adding more talented players to our roster.”

 

_FLORIDA GATORS’ COACHING STAFF_

 

– Head Coach: Billy Napier

– Offensive Coordinator: Rob Sale

– Defensive Coordinator: Patrick Toney

– Special Teams Coordinator: Corey Raymond

– Wide Receivers Coach: Keary Colbert

– Running Backs Coach: Jabbar Juluke

– Quarterbacks Coach: Ryan O’Hara

– Tight Ends Coach: William Peagler

– Defensive Line Coach: Sean Spencer

– Linebackers Coach: Jay Bateman

– Defensive Backs Coach: Corey Raymond

 

The additions of Mertz and Wooden are significant boosts to the Gators’ roster, and demonstrate the program’s commitment to building a talented and deep team.

 

“We’re thrilled to add Graham and Billy to our roster,” said Napier. “They’re both talented players who will help us compete at a high level. We’re excited to see them in action and contribute to our team’s success.”

 

The Gators will look to build on their recruiting momentum in the coming weeks, with several other top prospects still considering the program.

 

“We’re excited to see where our recruiting efforts take us,” said Napier. “We’re building something special here at Florida, and we’re looking forward to adding more talented players to our roster.”

 

The Gators’ 2024 recruiting class is shaping up to be one of the best in the country, with several highly touted prospects already committed.

 

“We’re thrilled with the progress we’ve made in recruiting,” said Napier. “We’re excited to welcome these talented young players to the Gator family and watch them contribute to our team’s success.”

 

With the additions of Mertz and Wooden, the Gators now have a talented and deep roster, with several players competing for starting jobs.

 

“We’re excited to see how our team comes together in the coming weeks,” said Napier. “We’ve got a talented group of players, and we’re looking forward to seeing them in action.”

 

The Gators will open their 2024 season on September 2nd against Miami, and will look to build on their momentum throughout the season.

 

“We’re excited to get started on the 2024 season,” said Napier. “We’ve got a tough schedule ahead of us, but we’re confident that we’ve got the talent and the depth to compete at a high level.”

 

References:

 

¹ ESPN

² 247Sports

³ Rivals

⁴ (link unavailable)

 

_STAY TUNED FOR MORE UPDATES ON THE FLORIDA GATORS’ 2024 RECRUITING CLASS_

 

_FLORIDA GATORS’ 2024 RECRUITING CLASS RANKINGS_

 

– ESPN: #5 nationally

– 247Sports: #6 nationally

– Rivals: #7 nationally

 

The Gators’ 2024 recruiting class is shaping up to be one of the best in the country, with several highly touted prospects already committed. With the additions of Mertz and Wooden, the Gators now have a talented and deep roster, with several players competing for starting jobs.