Florida football bolstered its quarterback room on Sunday when former Charlotte 49ers signal-caller [autotag]Deshawn Purdie[/autotag] committed to the Gators via the NCAA transfer portal.
The true freshman had just recently entered the de facto free agency system and Billy Napier wasted no time pouncing on the 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pound passer. Purdie completed 100 of 200 attempts for 1,802 yards and 10 touchdowns during the 2024 campaign while also tossing six interceptions; his 18.0 yards gained per pass completion led all FBS players.
The Baltimore, Maryland, product put up his best numbers this past fall at the Florida Atlantic Owls, going 16-for-30 for 396 yards along with three touchdowns and a pick in the eighth of his nine total appearances.
Purdie got a taste of Gainesville last weekend and the program’s first impression apparently left a lasting one. When asked what he appreciated about Florida, he had a lot to offer.
“The coaching and their drive to be great. They have a good chip on their shoulder. The coaching staff and players, I loved to see them work, how they come together, have fun at practice and everyone comes together as one,” Purdie pointed out.
“It’s not just the coaches,” he continued. “The director of personnel (Jacob LaFrance), the recruiting (staff), the staff that is there for support. There is just a lot of support from the staff, and I love to see that type of support in a building, and the amount of respect they have for each other. What really stuck out to me was the in-building experience.”
Purdie was rated by 247Sports at three stars as a transfer, ranking No. 292 overall and No. 31 at his position. During the 2024 recruiting cycle, the same service also assigned him three stars and ranked him as the No. 112 quarterback in the class.
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