Life in NCAA transfer portal: Florida has them coming, going

Defensive tackle Antonio Shelton is transferring to Florida, the graduate transfer from Penn State announced on social media Wednesday.

While Shelton is coming in, linebacker James Houston IV took to Twitter to reveal that he put his name in the NCAA transfer portal:

“I Want To Start Off By Saying Glory To God! Thank You To All Of Gator Nation and Everyone That Has Put Any Type Of Support Into Me! Thank You To My Teammates For All Of The Great Memories and Battles We Fought and Left Out There On The Field! I Am Now In The Transfer Portal!”

In three seasons, Houston, a redshirt junior, had 101 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. This past season, he made 37 tackles (20 solo) and one sack.

Houston is the second UF linebacker to enter the portal in as many months. Jesiah Pierre left the program after the SEC Championship Game and transferred to Texas Tech. 

The Gators are set to return six linebackers, including rising seniors Ventrell Miller and Amari Burney, and will add three players to the position in JUCO transfer Diwun Black and incoming freshmen Chief Borders and Jeremiah Williams. 

The 6-foot-2, 327-pound Shelton will help fill a huge need at defensive tackle, where Florida is losing three seniors in Kyree Campbell, Tedarrell Slaton and Marlon Dunlap. 

UF brings back just four defensive tackles and two have little to no experience in freshman Lamar Goods and redshirt freshman Jaelin Humphries. 

Shelton was in on 51 tackles and six sacks in his four seasons at Penn State. He made seven starts in 2020 and recorded 13 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and a pass deflection.