A Look at the Florida Gators’ Most Underrated Transfer

After a season where the Florida Gators edge group saw huge improvements, 834 snaps from three players entered the portal, leaving their rotation somewhat empty. However, Florida’s unit has not entered spring as a weakness, but rather quit the opposite.

“I feel really good about my group. We talk a lot about being the best in the country. I ain't afraid to say that. We want to be the best edge room in the country.” Gators edge coach Mike Peterson said. “It's just kind of how we feel…and that's kind of how we're practicing…how we're approaching everything. You want to be the best, let's go do what the best needs to do."

Despite returning their two highest graded players by PFF at the position, Tyreak Sapp and George Gumbs, the Gators lost much of the depth they had. The combination of Jack Pyburn and T.J. Searcy, both now at different SEC schools, leaves 696 snaps open, with Florida looking for new faces to fill their spots. When Peterson was asked who is standing out in doing so, three names came to mind.

“All my new guys.” Peterson said, first mentioning freshman Jayden Woods and Jalen Wiggins, before including a transfer name not many are talking about. “The new transfer, Kofi (Asare).”

 Asare, who comes in from UMass as a redshirt junior, is a name that may have gone overlooked coming from a small school as just a three-star transfer. While having just 391 snaps under his belt, the uber-athletic rusher has the tools to be an impactful player at the SEC level.

“Works hard, can run, can really run, and the thing about him is that he has been a great teammate.” Peterson said about the transfer. “He has played a little football…he has fit in with all the guys, I just saw them working after practice together, getting extra work in, so I’m excited about him as well.”

At 6-foot-4, 246 pounds, Asare has not exactly filled the stat sheets in his time at the collegiate level. Last season, in his first starting role, he finished with 30 tackles, five and a half tackles-for-loss and three sacks.

Despite lacking production, his 73.3 PFF grade would have been second best amongst Florida’s edge group last season (minimum of 20 snaps), beating out both Pyburn and Searcy. PFF also attributed him with 15 hurries, which would have been second most out of the Gators edge group as well.

Coming in with raw tools but lacking production, Asare holds similarities to the George Gumbs transfer addition from last year. While Gumbs has quickly become one of Florida’s better portal finds in recent memory, he also came in unknown and underrated.

Comparatively, Gumbs came to Florida with just 39 more defensive snaps in his career than Asare, while racking up just two more tackles, one more tackle-for-loss and just half a sack more in his time at Northern Illinois. On top of a similarity in athleticism and statistics, Asare is listed weighing in just seven pounds lighter than Gumbs while standing at the same height.

Due to their similarities, Gumbs has helped Asare transition into the program.

“(He came), I believe, from a four-down on defense to a three-down, just like me. So, I feel like just teaching him, ‘OK, I’m going this way’ just in case he doesn’t know.” Gumbs said about his new teammate. “I like Kofi. I feel like he’s a really good piece. He’s learning the system well. So, just me being in the room trying to help him understand things better, like giving him other ways to learn, show him how I learned it. But I feel like he’s doing a very good job so far.”

While early in his time at Florida, Asare has clearly caught the attention of many, including the other veteran edge on the roster.

“Kofi’s a natural. He does a lot of things without even trying.” Florida’s sack leader Tyreak Sapp said. “He’s gonna be good because he gets after it. He plays hard and I can see the passion in him. So, he’s gonna be somebody to watch out for. He’s super athletic.”

Though coming in raw and not receiving much hype, Asare has the tools and potential to be another surprise steal from the portal. While replicating the jump Gumbs made is a heavy task, Asare looks on his way to being another sleeper portal addition whose impact was not seen coming by Florida fans heading into the season.

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