GAINESVILLE — Florida backup quarterback Max Brown plans to transfer just days after he made his first career start during a 24-15 loss to Florida State.
Brown plans to enter the portal when it officially opens Dec. 4, according to Hayes Fawcett of On3.com.
The redshirt freshman stepped in for injured starter Graham Mertz and nearly led the Gators to an upset Nov. 18 at No. 9 Missouri. After Mertz broke his collarbone during the third quarter, Brown passed for 56 yards, including a clutch fourth-and-4 hook-up with Kahleil Jackson, and ran for 42 more as he caught the Tigers’ defense flat footed.
Brown subsequently made his first career start last Saturday against the unbeaten Seminoles. But he struggled behind a shaky offensive line facing FSU’s speedy defense. He finished 9 of 16 for 86 yards and an interception and suffered 6 sacks.
“It’s tough going out on that note,” he said.
Meanwhile, a pair of young Florida defenders, led by the team’s top recruit in the 2022 class, also plan to enter the NCAA transfer portal.
Sophomore safety Kamari Wilson and true freshmen defensive tackle Will Norman are leaving the program, according to multiple reports. Neither highly touted prospect panned out during his time at UF.
Each trained at IMG Academy, where the Gators had little recruiting success prior to Napier’s arrival.
The 30-day window for the NCAA transfer portal begins Dec. 4.
Coming off a 5-7 season, Florida will aim to address pressing needs with veteran players seeking a change of scenery and playing opportunity.
Napier, who is 11-14 at UF, prefers to build his program with recruiting at the high school level, while filling gaps with the transfer portal.
The 44-year-old likens the shift in approach to the NFL model. The portal debuted Oct. 15, 2018, as a compliance tool to help schools manage and streamline the transfer process for athletes and institutions.
“You want to build your team through the draft (recruiting),” Napier said. “You want to add quality players through free agency (transfer portal) that fit and maybe fill needs. That’s the approach that we’ve taken. That’s the approach we’ll continue to take.
“It’s almost like the old junior college model. You used to go get players at positions where you had depth issues or you needed a significant impact player. This game has evolved, and now the portal provides that.”
While the portal officially does not open for days, several Gators have made known their intention to transfer.
Max Brown
Vitals: 6-foot-1 ½, 212 pounds
Resumé: The Tulsa, Okla., native played both football and baseball at Lincoln Christian High School and ranked No. 35 among quarterbacks in the 2022 class, according to 247Sports.
Role: Brown arrived as a project, did not play in 2022 and redshirted. He finished 2023 going 19 of 28 for 192 yards and an interception, along with 37 yards rushing with a long of 27 at Missouri.
Outlook: Brown has three years of remaining eligibility. As for the Gators, Mertz has one year left to play while 5-star quarterback DJ Lagway is expected to sign Dec. 20. Jack Miller III, a former Ohio State transfer out all season with an injury, is the other remaining scholarship quarterback.
Kamari Wilson
Vitals: 6-foot, 210 pounds
Resumé: At the time he signed, Wilson was a 5-star prospect, the top recruit in UF’s 2022 class, and the nation’s No. 2 safety and No. 28 overall player, per 247Sports. He was a rare get from IMG Academy expected to open doors to the Bradenton-based football factory.
Role: Wilson played in all 13 games in 2022, including two starts. He recorded 39 tackles, 1.5 for a loss, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Expected to earn a starting role, he was beaten out by true freshman Jordan Castell and sophomore Miguel Mitchell. Wilson appeared in three games and managed 1 tackle.
Outlook: The Fort Pierce native should have options. He chose Florida over Georgia, LSU, Florida State and Texas A&M.
Will Norman
Vitals: 6-3 ½, 293 pounds
Resumé: Norman was the nation’s No. 195 recruit in the 247Sports composite rankings and No. 23 defensive lineman. The New Jersey native was an Under Armor All-American.
Role: Norman appeared in just four games and tallied a single tackle.
Outlook: Norman was highly recruited in all corners, choosing UF over Auburn, Arizona State and Boston College.
Jonathan Odom
Vitals: 6-5 ¼, 249 pounds
Resumé: A member of the 2020 recruiting class, Odom was 3-star prospect from Tampa Jesuit ranked the nation’s No. 52 tight end prospect. Odom finished his UF career with 16 receptions for 144 yards and 2 touchdowns in 25 games.
Role: He redshirted as a true freshmen and saw occasional snaps as a blocker in 2021. In 2022, Odom found a role as a pass-catcher, recording 2 touchdowns over the final four games before he tore his ACL during the Las Vegas Bowl loss to Oregon State last December. He recovered quickly to return during fall camp. Odom caught 4 passes for a 46 yards in Week 1 at Utah. He appeared just three more games before a concussion in Week 5 at Kentucky ended his season.
Outlook: Odom, the son of former Gators’ All-American lineman Jason, should have options in a league a level below the SEC.
Adam Mihalek
Vitals: 6-2, 202 pounds
Resumé: Mihalek was a walk-on in 2021, but earned the starting job as redshirt freshman in 2022 and earned a scholarship.
Role:The Tampa native converted 14 field goals in 21 tries was 42 of 43 on extra point tries during 13 games in 2022. But he missed 2 of 3 field and an extra point early in 2023 to lose his job to Trey Smack.
Outlook: Mihalek’s experience should entice someone given the challenge of finding kickers at the college level.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
