Billy Napier ‘absolutely’ plans to add fourth QB, but Florida Gators likely done in the portal

On3 imageby:Zach Abolverdi•05/23/23•

ZachAbolverdi

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Following Florida’s spring game, UF coach Billy Napier told Gators Online that he anticipated adding another player at the quarterback position.

Prior to the final speech of his spring speaking tour on Monday at the Fightin’ Gator Touchdown Club, Napier was asked if he still planned to add a fourth scholarship QB.

“Yeah, absolutely,” Napier said.

That quarterback will not be another transfer. Gators Online first reported Saturday that Florida commit Austin Simmons is currently going through the UF admissions process and there’s a strong likelihood that he will reclassify from 2025 to 2023.

Napier is not allowed to discuss recruits with the media until they sign their letters of intent, per NCAA rules, so he couldn’t go into detail about Simmons on Monday.

“Well, I mean, I think there are some limitations relative to what we can say publicly about that,” Napier said when asked in what way he hopes to add a fourth QB. “But still intend to do that.”

Should Simmons enroll in school this summer, the Gators would have 83 full-time scholarship players following the signing of FIU offensive tackle Lyndell Hudson Jr. and Michigan safety RJ Moten. Both of them have reported to UF and started summer classes.

RELATED: New Gators safety transfer RJ Moten finds ‘the right fit’ at Florida

Florida landed a total of 12 transfers for 2023 and Moten marked the sixth signee ranked in the top 275 of the On3 transfer portal player rankings. The other five were quarterback Graham Mertz, offensive linemen Kiyaunta Goodwin and Micah Mazzccua, defensive tackle Cam Jackson and linebacker Mannie Nunnery.

Despite two more scholarships available, Napier said UF is finished for now in the transfer portal, which didn’t have a lot of players to offer this spring.

“Yeah. I think our roster’s somewhat stable. We’ve got a couple of spots left, but, you know, our team is very young,” Napier said. “So I think, big picture wise, you’ve got to be calculated about just filling a spot, relative to the player maybe you can add in January, if that makes sense.

“We’ve got a few positional needs from a certain standpoint. If a player were to present himself that we think is good enough that maybe fits right now, we would pursue that player. But ultimately, I do think the winter portal is much deeper, much more talented than the spring portal was.” 

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