Not one that wasn’t.
Seventeen of the true freshmen are mid-year enrollees. Ten of the newcomers are transfers. The remaining four are finishing high school this spring. If you count returnees and walk-ons, Napier said the Gators have 105 players participating in offseason conditioning as he prepares for his second season at UF.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever been a part of a situation like that,” he said. “It’s a little bit different energy in the building.”
A few hours before Napier’s press conference at the Heavener Football Training Center — and on the other side of the country — a player initially in this class, Pittsburg (Calif.) quarterback Jaden Rashada, announced his commitment to Arizona State.
As expected, Napier faced a barrage of questions about the saga surrounding Rashada and the release from his scholarship last month following reports of a NIL deal that fell apart. Napier declined to comment specifically about Rashada other than to say he has the “utmost respect” for the talented quarterback and his family.
The press conference unfolded in two halves. The first centered on NIL (name, image and likeness), Florida’s recent headlines in that arena, and the second on the Gators’ latest recruiting haul.
Napier, appearing relaxed and optimistic about his team’s prospects, undoubtedly preferred the second half.
But he addressed the “elephant in the room,” as one reporter phrased it in a question.
“It’s not permissible for me to get specific,” Napier said. “The big thing here, as the dust settles, our focus is preparing our team, the group of players who have joined our team. I think the reality is the current structure of NIL, with third parties being involved, with agents being involved, with marketing representatives, with lawyers, with collectives, [is] very fluid and, I think, a very unique dynamic. We’re living in a time in college athletics that we’ll look back upon. We’re playing a game that’s never been played before.”
“I think, ultimately, NIL is a strength for the Gators. I’m very pleased with where we’re at relative to our current players, all [UF] athletes, and what we’ve been able to accomplish in a short amount of time.”
It’s clear that while outsiders may have a different view of Florida’s NIL efforts and…
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