Florida head coach Billy Napier cut three scholarship athletes from the Gators football team, according to recent reports. This came after UF updated its roster online.
The three athletes, wide receiver Fenely Graham, safety Mordecai McDaniel and defensive lineman Chris Thomas, cut the current scholarship count for Florida’s football program from 90 to 87 scholarships on roster.
The athletes are expected to enter the transfer portal, according to 247sports. This move is allowed by NCAA Bylaw 15.5.1.7, which allows a first-year coach to not invite a scholarship athlete back to the team the following year. However, that athlete can stay at the school on scholarship until they graduate.
Thomas was a four-star recruit out of Dunbar High School who played in a handful of games for the Gators.
Graham, who played at Florida for the past two seasons, never found his footing as a safety. He moved to the receiver room in the spring.
The Lakeland native was viewed as a potential return man for the Gators this season.
McDaniels,a sophomore in 2022, played in all 13 games last season as both a safety and on special teams. He recorded one interception and 15 tackles, seven of them being solo tackles.
Napier and the Gators need to cut two more scholarship athletes before fall camp in August.
Contact Brandon Hernandez at bhernandez@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @BranH2001.
Brandon Hernandez is currently the enterprise sports writer and sports podcast host for The Independent Alligator. He likes long walks on the sidewalk and watching basketball tape in his off time. You can find most of his work @BranH2001 on X and on The Courtside Podcast on Spotify.
