The Gators' former four-star recruit is officially off the roster Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Gators DL No Longer With Program Following Arrest

Originally posted on Florida Gators on SI
By Harrison Smajovits | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 12:48 PM ET

Freshman defensive lineman Stephon Shivers is no longer on the Florida Gators roster. According to Swamp 247's Graham Hall, his time with the program is over following his felony arrest.

Shivers, according to the Gainesville Police Department police report, was arrested on the third-degree felony charge of false imprisonment after the alleged victim accused him of getting violent on June 1 after an argument over information found on the alleged victim's phone.

According to The Gainesville Sun, the alleged victim attended the hearing and claimed a history of abuse from Shivers that went for more than three years. Shivers' attorney, public defender Karen Yochim, disputed that claim. The alleged victim told the court that she now plans to move from Gainesville, Fla.

Shivers is under house arrest and is facing a felony charge that is punishable by up to five years to prison and a $5,000 fine, according to The Gainesville Sun. He was poised to see action early as a true freshman.

Shivers signed with the Gators as a four-star recruit out of Humboldt, Tenn., and was poised to see early playing time after multiple defensive linemen exited the program after the 2024 season and others were nursing injuries in spring camp.

"He's huge. He's strong. It's always good to have those type of guys in the room," defensive line coach Gerald Chatman said during spring camp. "Just get him in that A-gap, and I think we'll be alright. But he's a young kid, he's still learning a lot, you know, technique, fundamentals, a lot on his plate right now. And I like to put the pressure on them early to see how they handle that and handle the adversity. I wanted to be adverse. I don't want him to walk in and, you know, it just be a good cup of water. I want it to be tough."

This drops Florida's unofficial scholarship count down to 84, one less than the limit imposed by the SEC. Shivers, who weighs nearly 400 pounds, was projected to take over for Desmond Watson, who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent, this season.