Tag: Chris McClellan

Former Florida DL transferring to another SEC program

Defensive lineman Chris McClellan is leaving Gainesville, but he’ll stay in the SEC after announcing his commitment to the Missouri Tigers.

Former Florida defensive lineman [autotag]Chris McClellan[/autotag] announced his commitment to the Missouri Tigers on Tuesday, according to On3 Sports.

“I felt as if (the Missouri Tigers) are going to put me in the best position to make me successful and develop me over the next 2 years,” he said to On3’s Hayes Fawcett.

McClellan spent two seasons with the Gators after committing to the program when it had no head coach. He quickly made his way into the defensive line rotation, appearing in all 25 games for Florida.

His lone start in the Orange and Blue came at the end of the 2023 season against Florida State. He leaves Gainesville with 46 total tackles (14 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and one fumble recovery. McClellan hit the transfer portal shortly after his position coach, Sean Spencer, was fired.

This is the third straight offseason where a Florida player has transferred to MU. Linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper made the jump in 2021 and defensive back  Tre’Vez Johnson followed suit in 2022. Both could return in 2023; although, McClellan never played with Hopper.

Missouri is losing two of its four most-used defensive linemen to graduation this offseason, so McClellan should have a chance to play right away.

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Auburn offers former Florida defensive tackle Chris McClellan

He was a productive role player for Florida but is now in the transfer portal.

Auburn is looking to shore up its defensive line through the transfer portal and would love to add some experienced players. One of their latest targets is [autotag]Chris McClellan[/autotag], a former top-150 recruit who spent the past two seasons at Florida.

The Oklahoma native was a rotational piece for the Gators, making 46 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in 25 appearances. The Tigers extended him an offer on Thursday but they are far from his only offer. FSU, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arkansas and Mississippi State have also offered him.

[autotag]Jeremy Garrett[/autotag]’s defensive line needs some experienced contributors to help shore up the depth at McClellan would be a great fit. The 6-foot-3, 320-pounder can play multiple positions and has several seasons of eligibility remaining, an added bonus.

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Sooners offer former Oklahoma high school star

A former Oklahoma high school star could find his way back to the state after being offered by the Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners are wasting no time getting offers out to players who have entered the transfer portal. The Sooners did a fantastic job in the portal a season ago and are hoping to fill some voids once again.

Now, it shouldn’t be as big of a portal class as a season ago, but there will be some new additions to the team. One of those could be a former Oklahoma high school star, [autotag]Chris McClellan[/autotag]. McClellan was a 4-Star and top 100 prospect in the 2022 class.

He considered signing with the Sooners but after a coaching change, he ultimately decided to head to the Florida Gators. After two seasons with the Gators, he announced he would be entering the transfer portal.

It didn’t take long for the Sooners to jump on that and send McClellan an offer.

McClellan is a big 6-foot-3 and 320-pound defensive tackle. He brings more experience and more importantly, the bigger bodies you need to compete in the SEC. He’s already played in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] and finished his career at Florida with 46 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.

He played quite a bit and even went back and forth from defensive tackle and defensive end due to his athleticism. There’s no indication if McClellan will take a visit to Norman but it’s definitely one Sooner fans should be keeping an eye on.

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Florida’s sophomore defensive lineman to enter transfer portal

Sophomore defensive lineman Chris McClellan announced on Twitter Sunday night that he intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal.

Add another name to the list of departing Florida football players following a disappointing 5-7 season for the Orange and Blue into the transfer portal, which officially opened on Monday.

Sophomore defensive lineman [autotag]Chris McClellan[/autotag] announced on Twitter Sunday night that he intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal. That makes him the second defensive lineman to seek greener pastures after redshirt sophomore Keenan Landry — who earned a scholarship midway through the season — made his announcement earlier in the day.

The 6-foot-3-inch, 320-pound lineman out of North Tulsa, Oklahoma, was a blue-chip prospect coming out of high school in 2022 and hit the ground running in Gainesville. McClellan played in every game for the Gators the past two seasons, getting one start his sophomore year due to attrition on the front lines.

He recorded 23 total tackles (seven solo, 16 assisted) along with 2.5 tackles for losses (including 1.5 sacks), plus a fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry in 2022. This fall, McClellan put up the exact same tackle numbers, plus one tackle for a loss (0.5 sacks) and a quarterback hurry.

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Florida adds former Memphis defensive lineman through transfer portal

Florida restocked its defensive line with the addition of Memphis transfer CamRon Jackson Friday evening.

Former Memphis defensive lineman [autotag]CamRon Jackson[/autotag] didn’t need to wait until his Jan. 4 official visit to pull the trigger on committing to the University of Florida. He took to Twitter to pledge his services to the Orange and Blue around 9 p.m. EST Friday night.

Jackson is the second defensive lineman Billy Napier has brought in, replacing the departing duo of [autotag]Chris Thomas[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag]. Louisville’s [autotag]Caleb Banks[/autotag] will join Jackson in Florida’s defensive line room along with returners [autotag]Desmond Watson[/autotag] and [autotag]Chris McClellan[/autotag], The Gators also have five incoming defensive linemen, but there’s no guarantee that a true freshman could step into a major role right away.

Jackson totaled 51 tackles (25 solo) and recorded five tackles for a loss, including 2.5 sacks for 13 yards, in his three years with the Tigers. He earned Third-Team All-ACC honors from Pro Football Focus in 2022 and played in all 13 of the Tigers’ games in 2022.

Jackson’s January visit will now be a celebration rather than a recruiting pitch. He knows he’s filling a major need for one of the premiere SEC programs and chose Florida over Miami, the other major contender in his recruitment. Defensive line coach Sean Spencer and defensive analyst Jamar Chaney were Jackson’s major points of contact during the process, according to 247Sports.

He joins the Gators with two years of eligibility left and should play on the interior of the offensive line.

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Gators land first transfer commitment from this former Louisville DL

The Gators may be losing a good chunk of talent to the transfer portal, but Billy Napier is already bringing in players to restock the team.

Florida earned its first commitment of the winter transfer portal cycle on Sunday. Former Louisville defensive lineman [autotag]Caleb Banks[/autotag] announced his decision on Twitter and is headed to the Swamp.

Banks’ commitment comes off an official visit to Florida and a few conversations with Florida defensive coordinator Sean Spencer. He already considered UF as his “dream school,” according to On3’s Gators Online, and spending a weekend in Gainesville only helped confirm things.

The Gators beat out several Power Five programs for Banks, including Auburn, Oklahoma, Tennessee and USC. A three-star prospect out of Southfield (Michigan) High School, Banks impressed during his very limited playing time as a true freshman for the Cardinals. He finished with two tackles, one sack and a forced fumble playing just 38 defensive snaps.

With [autotag]Desmond Watson[/autotag] and [autotag]Chris McClellan[/autotag] likely ahead of Banks on the depth chart, Florida gains a very moldable piece to his defensive line corps. He’s projected to fit at nose tackle next season, but the departure of [autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag] to the NFL could force a few different position swaps. Banks give Florida the flexibility to play the best player available at each position.

After losing over a dozen players to the portal, Florida should be one of the most active teams in the transfer cycle. Banks is the first commitment of the season but surely won’t be the last.

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Florida defensive lineman latest Gator to hit transfer portal

Florida losing a ton of players to the transfer portal this offseason. Here’s the most recent name on the list.

Florida’s transfer portal barrage continued on Monday as sophomore defensive tackle [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag] indicated his intentions to leave the program, according to Swamp247.

Lee started out the season as Florida’s starting nose tackle but lost playing time to [autotag]Desmond Watson[/autotag] and [autotag]Chris McClellan[/autotag] as the year went on. Perceived playing time is a significant factor in most transfer portal decisions and Florida was expected to lose several players after the first year of the [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] era. Lee is just the latest domino to fall bringing Florida’s total departures to a whopping 28 players.

Fortunately, filling his shoes won’t be too difficult given the development of players like Watson and McClellan. Florida is also bringing in a recruiting class laden with defensive line talent.

Lee joined the team as a member of the class of 2020 and quickly found a role on the team as a reserve defensive lineman. During the 2021 season, Lee played in eight games and made his first-career start in Florida’s Gasparilla Bowl loss to the UCF Knights. He leaves Gainesville with 19 total tackles (five solo) and one sack through appearances in 25 games.

Before joining the Gators, Lee was an LSU commit and had offers from plenty of SEC teams. He shouldn’t struggle to find a new home even if those programs previously interested in him have moved on to different coaching staff.

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2022 Florida Football Season Preview: Defensive Line

One of the biggest question marks heading into the 2022 season for Florida might be the defensive line. There’s not a whole lot of experience to work with but there’s plenty of talent.

There’s less than a week left until Florida kicks off the 2022 college football season, and Gators Wire is breaking down the entire roster before kick-off. After working our way through the offense, it’s time to look at the defensive side of the ball, the unit that struggled significantly more in 2021.

First up is the defensive line, which includes both tackle positions and a strongside defensive end. [autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag] Sr. is the outright leader of the group following the departure of veterans such as [autotag]Zach Carter[/autotag] and [autotag]Khris Bogle[/autotag] among others. The position room is relatively young and inexperienced, leaving Dexter as the only player locked into a starting role.

The good news is that those young players should be ready to take a big step forward. It will become evident who can handle the increased workload and who can’t rather quickly, and the depth chart should be much more clear following the first few weeks of action. Still, we have a pretty good idea of what things will look like up front for UF against Utah on Saturday.

Here’s a look at all 12 offensive linemen on the Gators’ 2022 fall football roster. Edge rushers will be included with our breakdown of the outside linebackers on the team.

See also:

2023 Florida Football Season Preview: Quarterbacks

2023 Florida Football Season Preview: Running Backs

2023 Florida Football Season Preview: Wide Receivers

2023 Florida Football Season Preview: Tight Ends

2023 Florida Football Season Preview: Offensive Line

4-star DT leaves official visit to Florida with Gators in top 3

Adding depth to the defensive line has been a priority for the Gators in the 2023 cycle and Kayden McDonald is the latest four-star recruit to name Florida among his top schools.

Four-star North Gwinnett, Georgia, defensive tackle [autotag]Kayden McDonald[/autotag] made his second stop by the University of Florida on June 17, and the official visit has the Gators in his top three, according to All Gators.

“They definitely moved up. I’m considering Florida [heavily],” McDonald said.

Just days before the visit, McDonald had included UF in his top 10, but the recent trip seems to have accelerated things. Dan Mullen‘s staff didn’t do much for him, but McDonald has grown fond of Billy Napier‘s group and sees how the changes that are being made have affected the players.

He also sees a chance to play early at Florida, which is always enticing for someone looking to develop quickly. Defensive tackle is a position of need for the Gators with [autotag]Gerveon Dexter[/autotag] eligible to move on to the pros following this season, so the door should be open for McDonald to get reps in as a freshman if he does sign.

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Even the players at his position want him on board. Freshman defensive tackle [autotag]Chris McClellan[/autotag], a former four-star recruit himself, made it clear over the weekend that he wanted to play beside McDonald.

“He was telling me we’re gonna be first-round draft picks,” he said. “Just kind of like a big brother to me. I was hanging out with him the last time I came. He was just telling me ‘come work.’ Coach Chaos (Sean Spencer) will help you get to where you need to be.”

Spencer’s work in the NFL has meant a lot to the defensive line recruits looking at the Orange and Blue, and it could be what gets McDonald on board.

Looking ahead, McDonald has another official visit to Michigan State planned on Friday, June 24, and then he’ll take a break to decide where he wants to take his three remaining visits. A commitment isn’t expected until around October at the earliest.

The On3 consensus ranks McDonald as the No. 290 overall recruit and the No. 39 defensive lineman in the class of 2023.

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Florida among top 3 schools for this 4-star defensive lineman

The Gators made the latest cut for another blue-chip prospect. Billy Napier and Co.’s work is coming to fruition.

The college football recruiting hot stove is approaching the boiling point as June continues to roll along. Now with three weekends in the books filled with prep prospect visits as well as other relevant news, things are coming into focus for the 2023 class.

The Florida Gators have been humming along this month as head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] navigates through his first recruitment cycle in Gainesville, with many visitors coming away thoroughly impressed with what he and his staff are building in the Swamp. Among those was four-star defensive tackle [autotag]Kayden McDonald[/autotag] out of Suwanee (Georgia) North Gwinnett High School, who spent the past weekend in Gainesville and subsequently elevated the Orange and Blue into his top three schools, according to Swamp247.

“It’s Florida and I want to play in the SEC. (Head coach Billy) Napier, he ran the Sun Belt so he’s going to win some games. If I come here or not, they’re going to win. He’s going to get a Natty in possibly three to four years so he’s just trying to build this 2023 class. He’s already got the new facilities and academics, you’re going to get a great degree here and just come and work.”

McDonald already has a connection at the university in freshman defensive lineman [autotag]Chris McClellan[/autotag], who he refers to as a “big brother” after forging a bond during his prior spring visits. “‘We could do special things here. We could go win SEC championships, go beat Alabama, go be first-round draft picks,” McClellan told him.

The 6-foot-3-inch, 310-pound lineman’s official visit to Gainesville was the first of five, with the Michigan State Spartans getting a gander next weekend. The remaining three visits are expected to be used in the fall, though those dates are still undecided.

McDonald is currently ranked No. 293 overall and No. 41 nationally at his position according to the 247Sports composite, while the On3 consensus has him at Nos. 290 and 39, respectively. The Georgia Bulldogs hold his lone 247Sports crystal ball projection while On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the Michigan Wolverines as the front-runners with a 36.2% chance of landing him and UGA in second at 30.7%.

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