The regular season is over, and the fall semester is drawing to a close.
What a great time to transfer!
If you read message boards, you might think the entire UF football team is searching for greener pastures.
That probably isn't true, but chances are that a few players will seek homes outside of the Gator Nation for next year.
Running back Chevon Walker was the first to go this year - he was granted a release from his scholarship two weeks ago.
I have in mind three players that would most benefit from a transfer.
Remember that I'm not saying all of these players should leave - just that they are likely candidates.
Each is talented enough to perform but will not reach full potential in a Gators uniform.
Without further ado, here they are (in no particular order):
Cameron Newton (freshman quarterback): Newton possesses all the athletic ability of a top-notch college player. He's a physical specimen with a strong arm and a knack for big plays.
With his dual-threat capabilities and size, he's a good fit for UF coach Urban Meyer's spread offense. Unfortunately for him, so is Tim Tebow. If the Teebster stays through his senior season, Newton would have only one year as a starter.
To even get that year under center, Newton will have to beat out classmate John Brantley, who was redshirted this season.
Brantley wasn't redshirted because Newton outperformed him in practice, either. The Army All-American and son of a former Gators QB wanted to take the season off, and he's being groomed as Tebow's replacement.
That spells trouble for Newton, and he should seek out a school that will make him a star(ter).
My pick: West Virginia. The Mountaineers would find a place for Newton in their spread-option offense.
Note: A position change could also make Newton a big-time threat. Think Cornelius Ingram.
Jarred Fayson (sophomore receiver) or Justin Williams (redshirt freshman receiver): There's a logjam at wide receiver, and these two are caught in the middle. Both were highly touted coming out of high school, and they haven't really been used on offense.
It's still early in their careers, and sticking around could pay off in the long run.
Fayson will likely see more playing time each year, and he could be the centerpiece of the offense as a senior. Williams has impressed coaches on special teams this season, but has yet to get on the field at receiver. He's a good possession receiver with big play capability.
On the other hand, staying at UF for another season may just keep lowering their chances of playing in the NFL. Because they are competing for playing time, if one leaves the other should stay.
My picks: Fayson to South Florida, where he could play in his hometown and be the Bulls' star, and/or Williams to Georgia Tech, where he could compete for playing time in his home state.
Safety Jamar Hornsby (redshirt freshman): Hornsby hasn't dressed out for the last five games and appears to be in Meyer's doghouse.
That, along with the facts that he's buried on the depth chart at safety and Scout.com's top two safeties in the nation have verbally committed to the Gators, means Hornsby might not advance from his special teams role anytime soon.
He was also a talented receiver in high school, but a switch would keep him even further from the field.
My pick: Michigan, where he visited during his recruitment.
