Kaleb Boateng, a Gators offensive lineman who transferred from Clemson following the 2020 season, died late Thursday night, according to statements from both teams released Friday.
Boateng spent time with Clemson from 2019-20 before coming to Florida as a preferred walk-on. He didn’t make an appearance in 2021 and isn’t listed on the Gators’ 2022 roster.
Florida head coach Billy Napier called Boateng “a beloved friend, son and teammate” despite having a short amount of time together in a Twitter post Friday.
“It’s hard to find the words in a moment like this,” Napier said. “This is a phone call you never want to receive as a parent or as a coach - especially about a former player.”
The Florida Gators also released a statement Friday on Twitter, expressing support for Boateng’s family.
The team also pointed to the UAA’s mental health and grief counselors, who are available to student athletes and staff.
Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney expressed his condolences in a written statement released Friday morning.
“While he was only here a couple of years before moving on, we remember Kaleb as being a good teammate and always having a good spirit to him,” Swinney said. “Our thoughts and condolences are with his family and all of those who were blessed to know him.”
Contact Kyle Bumpers at kbumpers@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @BumpersKyle.
Kyle Bumpers is a fourth-year journalism major and the sports editor of The Alligator. In his free time, he cries about Russell Wilson and writes an outrageous amount of movie reviews on Letterboxd.
