OL Jalen Farmer of Florida logs into the NCAA transfer portal.
Jalen Farmer, a redshirt freshman offensive lineman from Florida, revealed on social media Monday night that he had accessed the NCAA transfer portal.
“First I would like to thank God for all the opportunities he’s blessed me with the opportunity to play Division I SEC football while also attending such a prestigious institution,” Farmer wrote on X, which used to be Twitter. In addition, I want to express my gratitude to my family, friends, and loved ones for their steadfast support during my time at the University of Florida.
Finally, I want to express my gratitude to all of my coaches for helping me become the player I am today. Despite the ups and downs of my journey, I am excited for what God has in store for me going forward. Having said that, I’d like to let you know that I have three years left of eligibility when I enter the transfer portal.”
Farmer, a 6-foot-5, 310-pound offensive lineman from Covington, Georgia, signed with the program prior to the 2022 season and made his way to Gainesville. Before redshirting, he played in two games. Prior to signing with Florida, Farmer was rated as one of the top-35 offensive linemen in the nation by 247Sports Composite Rankings. He made his collegiate debut in the Semifinal victory over Eastern Washington.
He turned down offers from several other programs, such as Alabama, Auburn, and Kentucky, to remain with the Gators. In the final months of his recruitment, Farmer chose not to sign with a program early and instead chose to take other visits, so the Gators had to fight for his signature.
Farmer made his initial commitment to the Gators in September of last year, under the leadership of Dan Mullen. Farmer stuck with the Gators even after Mullen was fired, but he wasn’t afraid to say he wanted to visit other schools. But as soon as Florida hired Billy Napier, the 43-year-old head coach paid Farmer a quick visit at his house in December.
In the end, he made visits to Florida, Auburn, and Alabama in January, but he ultimately decided to honor his initial pledge to UF. Sale and Darnell Stapleton’s efforts, in addition to Napier’s, were crucial in the Gators’ ability to hold onto Farmer’s promise. Farmer’s coach told Swamp247 that the offensive lineman left Gainesville impressed, saying Farmer was able to get a positive vibe from his future coaches during his official visit to Florida back in early January.
Farmer’s head coach at the time, Jay Cawthon, said, “He said he had a great time and loved the new staff.” “He mentioned how at ease he felt down there. Jalen is not a particularly chatty child. He claims to have had a terrific time, but he is rather reserved. The coaches’ awesomeness was one of the main topics he discussed with me. He expressed his excitement about several projects being worked on in the facilities department and mentioned how great the new living quarters are. He exclaimed over how great the coaches were and how wonderful it was that they could all speak with him. That was the only topic he discussed.”
