Florida Gators Lose Key Defender To NCAA Transfer Portal

Florida Gators redshirt senior linebacker, Mannie Nunnery, has made the decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal as a graduate student, which has been confirmed by All Gators. Nunnery is on track to earn his bachelor’s degree from UF in the upcoming spring semester, and On3 Sports initially reported his departure from the Florida Gators on a recent Thursday.

Originally hailing from Pearland, Texas, Nunnery initially signed with the University of Houston and spent four years as a part of their football program before making the move to UF last offseason.

During the 2023 season, Nunnery showcased his versatility by appearing in every game for the Florida Gators. He even stepped up as a starter at linebacker on three occasions due to injuries at the position during the latter half of the campaign. In his single season with the Gators, Nunnery accumulated 28 tackles, half a sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a pass breakup.

When combining his contributions at Houston, Nunnery’s college football career stats include an impressive 109 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble. He also earned recognition as a special teams ace, receiving the National Special Teams Player of the Year Award in 2021 for his performance, which included blocking three kicks during his time with the Cougars.

Nunnery’s decision to enter the transfer portal makes him the second linebacker from Florida to do so this offseason, following Scooby Williams, who committed to Texas A&M on January 7th after starting 10 games for the Gators in 2023. Both Nunnery and Williams opted to leave Florida after former inside linebackers coach Jay Bateman left the program in December to assume the role of defensive coordinator at Texas A&M.

In response to these departures, Florida made strategic moves in the transfer market, securing the commitment of South Carolina linebacker transfer Grayson “Pup” Howard. Additionally, they bolstered their linebacker corps with the signing of consensus top-100 prospects Myles Graham and Aaron Chiles in the 2024 recruiting class.

Nunnery’s entry into the transfer portal is part of a broader trend, as he becomes the 22nd scholarship member of the Florida Gators’ 2023 roster to explore transfer options this offseason. For more details on Florida’s portal activity, you can refer to their full log of portal movements.