Tag: David Conner

Colorado lands former Florida OT through transfer portal

Offensive tackle David Conner hit the transfer portal after redshirting his freshman year at Florida, and now he’ll play for Deion Sanders at Colorado.

The Florida Gators lost three players to the spring transfer portal, and one has found a new home.

Redshirt freshman offensive tackle [autotag]David Conner[/autotag] committed to the University of Colorado on Saturday, according to On3’s Hayes Fawcett. He’ll have four years of eligibility remaining under new head coach Deion Sanders.

“The atmosphere and the direction I feel the program is going in,” Conner said. “I feel like every coach at this program is real and gives true in-depth evaluations of players. I think every school in the country is a good salesman.  But it feels way different here, it is real.”

Conner said he liked the family feel of the Buffaloes’ coaching staff, which is something that’s been said about Napier and Co. in the past. It’s not exactly clear why Conner left the Gators at this point. The offensive line is being revamped, but there’s a chance that he wasn’t in line for playing time after missing most of his first year with the program due to injury.

A three-star recruit out of high school, Conner was likely to be a project player over his first couple of seasons, but perhaps he’ll get more chances to play with Colorado.

At 6-feet-6-inches tall and 305 pounds, Conner certainly has the size to be successful in college. Hopefully, he can stay healthy and get things going with his new team.

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Florida losing WR Xzavier Henderson to transfer portal

Florida’s third spring transfer is a big one. Wide receiver Xzavier Henderson, who started 11 games for the Gators in 2022, is hitting the portal.

Florida wide receiver [autotag]Xzavier Henderson[/autotag] is entering the NCAA transfer portal, according to a report from Swamp247.

Henderson started 11 games for Florida last year and was expected to step into a bigger role with [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag] moving on to the NFL. 247Sports’ Jacob Rudner said that sophomore [autotag]Caleb Douglas[/autotag] and freshman [autotag]Andy Jean[/autotag] had strong springs behind Henderson, which may have influenced the decision to leave.

[autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] is the clear leader of the receiver room, but [autotag]Marcus Burke[/autotag], Douglas and Jean are all young players showing promise.

Henderson leaves Florida with 835 career receiving yards and five touchdowns on 73 catches over 35 games. His best game in the Orange and Blue came against Georgia when he hauled in five receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown.

Receivers coach Billy Gonzalez reported strong spring scrimmage performances from Henderson, and head coach Billy Napier also spoke highly of him during the spring. The transfer is somewhat surprising, but he’s not the first player to leave the team during the second portal period of teh year.

Offensive lineman [autotag]David Conner[/autotag] and edge rusher [autotag]Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr[/autotag]. were the first two Gators to leave the team in the spring. Following Henderson’s departure, Florida will have five open scholarship spots to hand out to transfers.

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Florida EDGE Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. to enter transfer portal

After three years with the Florida Gators, edge rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. is hitting the transfer portal.

Florida edge rusher [autotag]Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr[/autotag]. is entering the transfer portal, according to a social media post he sent out Friday afternoon.

Powell is the second Gator to leave the team following the Orange and Blue Game. Offensive lineman [autotag]David Conner[/autotag] officially entered the portal on Thursday after leaving the team during spring practices.

He didn’t give a reason for his decision, but playing time was likely a factor for the rising fourth-year junior. [autotag]Princely Umanmielen[/autotag] switched to the edge after [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]. was dismissed from the team last season, and he’s the expected starter heading into the summer.

Powell would have been competing for secondary snaps with redshirt sophomore [autotag]Justus Boone[/autotag] had he stayed, and a trio of true freshmen led by [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag] are hungry to take away snaps too.

Over three seasons in Gainesville, Powell recorded 34 total tackles (14 solo), including 7.5 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks, through 27 games played. He started five times for Florida in 2023 and played snaps in all 13 games.

Although the Gators are losing a consistent piece of its defense, the line is loaded with young Napier-recruited talent ready to take off, so this might have been the best move for both parties.

Still, the announcement is surprising from a player who seemed to have bought into Napier’s system.

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Former Florida offensive lineman officially enters NCAA transfer portal

This redshirt freshman offensive lineman officially enters the transfer portal.

The decision is finally official for Florida football’s redshirt freshman offensive lineman [autotag]David Conner[/autotag], who entered the NCAA’s transfer portal on Thursday, according to Swamp247. The 6-foot-5-inch, 295-pound trench warrior first departed the program on April 10 and finally followed through with his entrance into the portal 10 days later.

Conner was a three-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting cycle, signing his letter of intent on Dec. 15, 2021, during the nascent days of Billy Napier’s tenure in Gainesville. He saw no action his freshman year after suffering a thumb injury during fall camp in 2022 that required surgery, subsequently taking a medical redshirt for the season.

It appears that the young lineman also dealt with a previously undisclosed knee injury of unknown severity, offensive line coach Rob Sale told Swamp247.

“Yeah, you know he had a thumb, right, and then he had a little knee deal, and so he’s doing a good job trying to get back, get back healthy,” Sale said on March 7. “But then he had to go straight to the scout team, so, he’s working.”

The one-two-punch of ailments presumably set Conner back in his development a bit further than he and the team were comfortable with, resulting in his search for greener pastures.

Conner’s departure adds salt to an already wounded offensive lineman room, with the long-term loss of Micah Mazzcua to a shoulder injury and Kamryn Waites to a torn Achilles tendon. Meanwhile, Jalen Farmer has had limited reps in spring camp while Bryce Lovett was out the first two weeks of spring with an injury.

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Florida OT Michael Tarquin entering transfer portal

Another Gator has hit the transfer portal, and now Florida might have some serious depth issues on the offensive line.

The Florida Gators will need to add some more depth to the offensive line after losing another player to the transfer portal. Offensive tackle [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] announced his decision to enter the portal on Thursday despite being a contender for a starting spot next season.

Tarquin began the year as the Gators’ starting right tackle but suffered an injury against Kentucky in Week 2 that kept him out for four games. Austin Barber emerged as an effective replacement, but Tarquin ended up playing in Florida’s final six games at his usual spot once healthy.

Some have called this the first true surprise of the transfer cycle for Florida. Tarquin was a presumed starter for next year’s club with left tackle [autotag]Richard Gouraige[/autotag] headed to the pros. Even if the staff favors Barber, shifting him over to the left side would allow Florida to play two experienced tackles on the offensive line. Now, [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] has to do some portal work of his own to replace three-fifths of the starting unit ([autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] is headed to the NFL as well).

Napier said that the team was looking to add more players through the transfer portal during his early signing day press conference, and the Gators have been linked to Rhode Island transfer tackle [autotag]Ajani Cornelius[/autotag].

In-house options to take over Tarquin’s spot include Louisiana transfer [autotag]Kamryn Waites[/autotag], freshman [autotag]David Conner[/autotag] and incoming freshmen [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag], [autotag]Roderick Kearney[/autotag] and [autotag]Tony Livingston[/autotag].

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Billy Napier makes big changes to Florida’s depth chart ahead of Week 5

Trey Dean won’t play against Eastern Washington after popping up on the Gators’ injury report this week. Here’s who will start in his place.

The Florida Gators will be without safety [autotag]Trey Dean[/autotag] this week, according to the Week 5 depth chart put out by the team Wednesday evening.

Dean is listed on the injury report as “out” with a lower-body injury, and freshman [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] is in his place with [autotag]Donovan McMillon[/autotag] listed as the “OR” option. Both are expected to play against Eastern Washington, and that’s far from the only change on the depth chart.

[autotag]Justus Boone[/autotag] is listed ahead of [autotag]Princely Umanmielen[/autotag] at the defensive end spot alongside [autotag]Gervon Dexter Sr[/autotag]., and cornerback [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] is in the starting spot opposite of [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]. The defense will certainly look different on Sunday, and the shakeup couldn’t come at a better time.

Many fans were critical of Dean’s performance against Tennessee. He blew a few coverages that proved costly, but the truth is that the Volunteers carved up the defense in its entirety.

The front seven already has seen some movement with [autotag]Desmond Watson[/autotag] moving ahead of [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag] on the depth chart, and [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] is now firmly back in the starting 11 after dealing with his own lower-body injury over the past few weeks.

[autotag]Jack Miller III[/autotag], [autotag]Marco Ortiz[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] remain on the injury report, but Miller is now listed as “questionable,” which means he should return in the next few weeks. Offensive tackle [autotag]David Conner[/autotag] and tight end [autotag]Arlis Boardingham[/autotag] are no longer on listed on the injury report, but they aren’t on the two-deep either.

Keep in mind that Florida’s opponent this week is an FCS school. If there’s a week to rest some guys, this is it. Expect Napier to try to get some game action out of his reserves if the Gators can run the score up early.

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Four players ruled out for Florida football’s season opener vs Utah

Four players have been ruled out for the Florida Gators home opener against Utah.

Florida football released its Week 1 depth chart for their season opener against the Utah Utes, with four players officially ruled as out for the game.

Tight end [autotag]Arlis Boardingham[/autotag] (upper body), cornerback [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] (lower body), quarterback [autotag]Jack Miller III[/autotag] (upper body – thumb surgery) and offensive tackle [autotag]David Conner[/autotag] (upper body – thumb surgery) will not suit up on Saturday night for the Orange and Blue.

Wide receiver [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]. did not appear on the injury section of the depth chart, giving optimism that the highly touted transfer and the former five-star recruit will be available for Billy Napier’s first game as Florida’s head coach. Both players were battling injuries during camp with Pearsall dodging a bullet after initially being ruled out indefinitely.

Notably, Pearsall was given the No. 1 jersey this summer. The No. 1 jersey is given to a player that has earned the privilege to wear it. The fact that a transfer wide receiver was given the number before playing in an official game goes to show how highly Napier believes Pearsall to be. Former Gators Percy Harvin and Kadarius Toney both have worn No. 1.

Marshall Jr. is primed to make a leap in his second year on campus. The former Palmetto Panther played in 12 games as a true freshman and is listed as CB1 on the Week 1 depth chart. Marshall has the potential to reach “elite Florida cornerback” status in his second year, following in the footsteps of Gators defenders to emerge on the scene in their second year. Former players Vernon Hargreaves III, Teez Tabor, Quincy Wilson, and the Buffalo Bills’ 2021 first-round pick [autotag]Kaiir Elam[/autotag] all solidified themselves as top-tier college defensive backs in their sophomore seasons.

The Florida Gators kick off their season against the No. 8 ranked Utah Utes Saturday on ESPN. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT.

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Two more 2022 signees arrive at UF for summer semester

New faces are popping up in Gainesville as the summer semesters begin. Welcome to the Swamp, Trevor Etienne and David Conner!

A trio of early enrollees, [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag], [autotag]Devin Moore[/autotag] and [autotag]Chris McClellan[/autotag], joined the Gators over the spring, but more members of the class of 2022 are making their way to the Swamp. Running back [autotag]Trevor Etienne[/autotag] and offensive tackle [autotag]David Conner[/autotag] both arrived on campus on Sunday and are ready to take part in the Summer A semester at Florida, according to 247Sports.

Etienne, a four-star running back out of Louisiana, was one of the rare offensive standouts in the class of 2022 for Florida and has the family name to warrant lofty expectations as a Gator. [autotag]Montrell Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Lorenzo Lingard[/autotag] and [autotag]Demarckus Bowman[/autotag] have held down the running backs room over spring, but now Etienne and a returning [autotag]Nay’Quan Wright[/autotag] enter the mix.

It’ll take Etienne some time to learn the playbook but look for him to contribute early on as he was one of the first players [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] sought out after taking over in Gainesville and the No. 188 overall recruit on the 247Sports composite.

Conner, a three-star tackle out of Deerfield Beach, Florida, is one of the few commitments that stayed with the Gators through the coaching change. Offensive line coaches [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] and [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag] think his frame and athleticism project well for an offensive tackle in the Southeastern Conference. It’ll likely take a few years of development to see him on the line every day, but Conner is setting himself up for success.

Getting to campus a bit earlier gives Conner more time to get used to his new environment and it sounds like he’ll be rooming with Florida’s running back of the future. Getting a lineman and a running back comfortable with each other early is a good sign for the team’s future chemistry.

The other members of the class of 2022 will arrive around May 22 and get settled in for the summer. The new-look Gators are finally starting to take shape and the Napier era is in full swing with a new crop of talent making their way to campus.

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These four Florida signees plan to early enroll in Gainesville

One signee has already enrolled in five-star safety Kamari Wilson, and he’s expected to be joined by three others.

Florida has a lot of work to be done ahead of national signing day on Feb. 2, but it got off to a good start with an early signing day in December that went better than most expected. We learned on Monday from a report by Gators Online’s Corey Bender that four of those players plan to early enroll in Gainesville.

Five-star safety Kamari Wilson headlines this group, and the team announced on Monday that Wilson had already enrolled at UF. Wilson, the No. 28 overall player in the country (per the 247Sports Composite), was a major early signing day win for coach Billy Napier, as the IMG Academy prospect was previously considered a Georgia lean. He competed in the Under Armour All-American game in Orlando this past weekend.

He’ll be available for spring practice alongside Kamryn Waits, a transfer from Louisiana who played in just three games last year as a true freshman. The monsterous 6-foot-8-inch, 358-pound offensive tackle has four more years of eligibility. Florida announced Waits’ matriculation alongside Wilson’s.

According to the report from Bender, three more Gators signees plan to enroll early in the coming weeks: safety Devin Moore, offensive tackle David Conner and defensive tackle Chris McClellan. Moore was a player who committed on early signing day, while Napier maintained commitments from Conner and McClellan during the transition. Moore and McClellan are four-star prospects who have committed to play in the All-American Bowl in San Antonio this week.

All five of these players will be available when spring practice begins next month as Napier tries to turn things around in Year 1 after a 6-7 finish in 2021.

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This in-state 3-star offensive lineman just committed to Florida

The Gators have struggled to recruit offensive linemen lately but they nabbed this 3-star OT to get back on track.

David Conner, a three-star offensive tackle out of South Florida, committed to the University of Florida on Tuesday.

“It was a home,” Conner said. “It was a family experience from the first time I got there. The coaches really tried to help and instilled a lot of knowledge in me and I just knew that was where I was going—that was home.”

The Gators beat out Arizona, FAU and Maryland for Conner’s services as he joins Tony Livingston in the 2022 offensive line class. His senior year of high school will be his first full year at offensive tackle, though. He spent most of his junior year in high school taking defensive snaps at Martin Luther King High School in Georgia.

It’s no secret that Florida has struggled to land offensive line targets for the class of 2022. The Gators missed out on top target Tyler Booker in July to Alabama, and three-star Leyton Nelson chose UCF over UF at the beginning of August.

“Pretty good, we’ll see,” Mullen said about the Gators’ offensive line recruiting on Monday. “That’s always one of the trickier ones.”

Conner is a solid rebound for Mullen and offensive line coach John Hevesy. He received an offer from Florida coach Dan Mullen on Aug. 7 and set a commitment date two days later. 247Sports had Florida as the 80 percent favorite to land the 6-foot-6-inch, 270-pound tackle and was considered the favorite. With his size and some coaching, Conner can become a solid lineman by the time he gets to Gainesville.

“He’s putting the work in,” Deerfield Beach High coach Jevon Glenn told 247Sports. “We’re really excited about his potential and what he’s going to be able to bring to our program. Big, athletic with huge upside. He’s got the demeanor. Obviously, he’s got the size and he’s getting better and better now that he’s fully committed to play offense.”

Conner is the No. 126 offensive tackle in the country, according to 247Sports.

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