Florida defensive back Jameer Grimsley commits to transfer to Mississippi State

Florida Gators defensive back Jameer Grimsley has committed to transfer to the Mississippi State Bulldogs, On3 has learned. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Grimsley played his high school football at Tampa Catholic. There, he was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2024. He had been the 157th-ranked player nationally and the 21st-ranked cornerback in that recruiting cycle. At the time, Charles Power shared a scouting report on the young defensive back.

“Physically-gifted defensive back with one of the best combinations of length, athleticism and ball skills among 2024 cornerback prospects,” Charles Power wrote. “A taller corner, measuring in at around 6-foot-1.5, 185 pounds prior to his senior season. Has elite length with arms that have measured well over 33 inches, to go with 10-inch hands. Turns in strong marks as a sprinter in track and field, running 10.94 seconds in the 100-meter and 21.89 seconds in the 200 meters as a junior.

“Plays on both sides of the ball as a receiver and cornerback/safety. Shows an easy, long stride in the open field. Ball skills register on the high end among cornerback prospects, given his experience on offense. Has the ability to win contested catches as a receiver. Tracks and locates the football. Not afraid to lower his shoulder and strike pass catchers. Finished his junior season with 25 catches for 356 yards and three touchdowns. Transferred from Bloomingdale High School to Tampa Catholic prior to his senior season. More of a size and skill set projection and will need to ratchet up his production as a senior. Older for the cycle, turning 19-years old in the middle of his senior season. Will be a 20-year-old college freshman.”

Initially, Grimsley had signed to play for Alabama. However, that was the year Nick Saban retired and he became what’s considered a short-term signee, never actually playing for the Crimson Tide, before he moved on to Florida. Other schools involved in his high school recruitment included Penn State, Florida State, and Michigan.

In his first season at Florida, Grimsley played in just two games. That allowed him to utilize a redshirt. He’d then follow that up in 2025 by playing in three games. In those five games, he was able to accumulate a tackle and a pass defended.

The 2025 season ended with a coaching change for the Florida Gators. Billy Napier was fired in the middle of the season and replaced with Jon Sumrall. Now, there’s some major changes coming to the Gators roster, with 23 players already exiting the program.

As for Mississippi State, the Bulldogs are coming off a 5-8 season, where they played in a bowl despite not reaching six wins. It was also the second season for head coach Jeff Lebby, who now wants to find a way to get the Bulldogs trending further in the right direction next season.

Mississippi State has the 16th-ranked transfer class in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 College Football Team Transfer Portal Rankings. That includes 22 outgoing players and five incoming players. That number now includes Jameer Grimsley in its ranks. Of course, the expectation is that Lebby and the Bulldogs will continue to add from there.