Florida lost several players to transfer and the NFL Draft following its season-ending loss to Florida State on Nov. 30.
Seven players announced they would transfer to other universities, and three others declared for the professional draft.
The biggest loss for Florida is its pair of cornerbacks, Loucheiz Purifoy and Marcus Roberson. Both juniors announced following the season that they would enter the draft.
Their departures leave the Gators inexperienced at cornerback; freshman Vernon Hargreaves III saw the most time among UF’s remaining corners.
Roberson did not notch an interception last season, and Purifoy made two. ESPN ranks Roberson and Purifoy as the No. 26 and No. 28 draft prospects, respectively.
Multiple players also announced they would leave the program to join others.
On Dec. 12, the school announced that six players were transferring: redshirt junior offensive lineman Ian Silberman; sophomore tight end Kent Taylor, redshirt freshmen defensive back/fullback Rhaheim Ledbetter and offensive lineman Quinteze Williams; and freshmen quarterback Max Staver and offensive lineman Trevon Young.
Silberman saw the most playing time of the group, starting four games in 2013.
Three days after those players’ decisions were announced, quarterback Tyler Murphy announced he would transfer as well.
The redshirt junior entered the 2013 season as the backup quarterback but was pressed into action after starter Jeff Driskel suffered a season-ending fractured fibula on Sept. 21.
Murphy started six games before missing the final three due to a shoulder sprain he suffered against LSU on Oct. 12.
His transfer left only two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster: Driskel and redshirt freshman Skyler Mornhinweg, who started the season’s final three games.
However, it was not all bad news for the Gators.
UF brought in two players in the middle of December.
Junior college offensive lineman Drew Sarvary signed with Florida on Dec. 18. The 6-foot-5, 318-pound offensive lineman previously played at Tyler (Texas) Junior College, where he was named a First Team All-Southwest Junior College Football Conference selection.
The Gators also added former Virginia Tech kicker Brooks Abbott, who announced via his Twitter that he would enroll at Florida in the summer.
Abbott plans to walk on to the team. He did not attempt a field goal as a Hokie, but he looks to improve a Florida kicking squad that missed 10 of 22 attempts.
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Tyler Murphy heads to the field before playing LSU at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La., on Oct. 12, 2013. Murphy announced he was transferring from Florida on Dec. 15. 2013, after starting six games for the Gators during a 4-8 season.
