Wednesday was a big day for Florida football on the prep recruiting front with the opening of the early signing period, but the Gators also added a player to its 2024 roster from the transfer portal as well.
Former Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver [autotag]Chimere Dike[/autotag], a four-year senior originally from Waukesha, Wisconsin, completed his portal journey from the north to the south landing in Gainesville with Billy Napier and Co.
The 6-foot-1-inch, 200-pound pass-catcher’s best seasons came when he was still playing with now-UF quarterback Graham Mertz. Dike caught 47 passes for 689 yards with 6 touchdowns for the Badgers in 2022 and 78 catches for 1,150 yards with 8 touchdowns in three seasons alongside Mertz.
Dike struggled in 2023 due in part to a leg injury that sidelined him for three games. He totaled 19 catches for 328 yards and a score before entering the portal at the beginning of December.
He has one more season of eligibility remaining. Dike will be among the oldest players in Florida’s otherwise very young receiver room and hopefully he can bring his experience to the table.
Ostensibly, the receiver will be filling the shoes of stand-out pass-catcher Ricky Pearsall, whose eligibility expired this past season. Eugene Wilson III, Andy Jean and Aidan Mizell will also be working hard to fill the void as well.
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