Second chances aren’t ever guaranteed, but it’s important not to miss whenever the opportunity does present itself.
For Florida — Billy Napier’s recruiting staff, more specifically — a massive second chance came about when South Carolina linebacker [autotag]Grayson Howard[/autotag] entered the transfer portal on Tuesday. It took just two days for the Gators to earn a commitment from the former four-star recruit.
Florida’s recruiting staff pushed hard for Howard coming out of high school, but he ended up picking South Carolina over Clemson, Florida, Georgia and Texas A&M. It was one of many misses at the position for the Gators during that cycle, but now they’ve got their man.
— Grayson “PUP” Howard (@decaphobia) January 4, 2024
As a true freshman, Howard had 19 total tackles (12 solo), one tackle for loss and a forced fumble. Pro Football Focus gave him a defensive grade of 58.8 over 221 snaps. He struggled in coverage (41.7) but excelled as a tackler (77.5) as a true freshman in the SEC.
Although he does have some experience coming off the edge, Howard should line up as an inside linebacker for Florida. With Scooby Williams in the transfer portal, Howard could compete for a starting job alongside rising junior Shemar James. Freshmen Myles Graham and Aaron Chiles should also be in the mix.
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