Gator notebook: UF set to welcome mid-year enrollees

More than half of Florida’s early signees are reporting to campus for mid-year enrollment, with the majority arriving in Gainesville on Friday. 

Spring semester classes at UF begin Monday. 

“Excited to have our new Gator family members checking in,” Florida coach Dan Mullen tweeted Thursday night. 

The group includes Miami Palmetto defensive backs Corey Collier Jr. and Jason Marshall Jr., both of whom are rated five-star recruits by Rivals and 247Sports, respectively. 

The offensive side of the ball is headlined by Elite 11 finalist Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, who is ranked 57th nationally by ESPN. He is one of two quarterbacks enrolling early, along with three-star signal caller Jalen Kitna, the son of former NFL QB Jon Kitna. 

Mullen and his staff will also welcome a pair of transfers from other programs: Clemson running back Demarcus Bowman and Penn State defensive tackle Antonio Shelton, a graduate transfer. 

Bowman, a redshirt freshman and former five-star recruit, could provide a boost to a Florida backfield that ranked 96th nationally in rushing offense this past season.

Shelton, meanwhile, will provide a veteran presence at defensive tackle, where the Gators lose seniors Kyree Campbell, Tedarrell Slaton and Marlon Dunlap. 

UF will also welcome a pair of early enrollees at the position in three-stars Christopher Thomas and Desmond Watson, who plans to report Monday, as well as four-star defensive end Justus Boone. 

The 6-foot-5, 242-pound Chief Borders is listed as an athlete on defense and could play linebacker or end. Rivals250 cornerback Jordan Young and four-star safety Donovan McMillon are joining Florida’s secondary in addition to Marshall and Collier. 

The Gators’ receiving corps will add four-star wideout Daejon Reynolds, a Rivals100 member, and three-star tight end Nick Elksnis for this spring. 

Florida's 2021 early signees 

*QB Carlos Del Rio-Wilson

*QB Jalen Kitna

WR Marcus Burke

*WR Daejon Reynolds

*TE Nick Elksnis

TE Gage Wilcox

OL Austin Barber

OL Yousef Mugharbil

OL Jake Slaughter

*DT Chris Thomas Jr.

*DT Desmond Watson

*DL Justus Boone

DL Tyreak Sapp

*LB/DE Chief Borders

LB/DE Jeremiah Williams

LB/DB Diwun Black

*CB Jason Marshall Jr.

*CB Jordan Young

*DB Corey Collier Jr.

*DB Donovan McMillon

DB Dakota Mitchell

LS Rocco Underwood

* — denotes mid-year enrollee