The NCAA’s transfer portal has become a de facto free agency apparatus in the collegiate sports realm — especially for college football. While it existed prior to the initial COVID pandemic as well as the NIL era, those two factors have turned amateur sports upside down
With the departure of Florida football’s starting quarterback Anthony Richarson to the NFL, the Gators were left with a huge vacuum at the quarterback position — especially after the Jaden Rashada drama. Billy Napier’s staff decided to take a chance on former Wisconsin Badgers gunslinger Graham Mertz, who brings a great deal of experience to the QB corps.
Ahead of the 2023 season, The Athletic’s Max Olson and Bruce Feldman put together a ranking of the top 100 transfer portal players in college football, including Florida’s starting signal caller. The duo placed him at No. 84 overall and the lone new Gator to get the nod.
The top spot in the rankings is held by quarterback Sam Hartman, who transferred from the Wake Forest Demon Deacons to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish this past offseason. Mertz is bookended by former Clemson Tigers quarterback DJ Uiagalelei (No. 83), who now plays for the Oregon Ducks, and defensive back Bralyn Lux (No. 85), who jumped from the Fresno State Bulldogs to the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Florida opens its 2023 schedule on the road against the Utah Utes on Thursday, Aug. 31, with a kickoff time of 8 p.m. EDT.
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