Gators lose another key man due to NCAA…
Florida CB Jalen Kimber Entering NCAA Transfer Portal
Florida Gators starting cornerback Jalen Kimber became the 17th member of the team’s 2023 roster to express intentions of entering the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason, according to several reports on Friday.
Kimber is scheduled to earn his bachelor’s degree from UF in the spring and transfer as a graduate student.
Transferring to Florida from Georgia before the 2022 season, Kimber realized time in rotation in his first season with the program.
He flashed promise in the times he performed at full health, but injuries — some derived from his time with the Bulldogs — largely inhibited him from becoming a frequent piece within the shaky secondary.
Heading into 2023, Kimber recovered fully from his ailments and competed for the starting job opposite Jason Marshall Jr. with sophomore Devin Moore. Moore’s own hurts early in the year — as he rehabbed from a season-ending shoulder injury as a freshman and lingering symptoms from a concussion — catapulted Kimber into a prominent role in the Gators’ defense.
Kimber proved serviceable at the beginning of the year, contributing to the uptick in defensive success Florida displayed through four weeks of the year. However, the production was not sustained at the team level.
The Mansfield, Texas, native’s play began to sputter as a result, with Moore growing into a more prominent role with improved health and true freshman Ja’Keem Jackson starting to find his footing as a frequent contributor. The play of Moore and Jackson provides Florida with several options to work with heading into the 2024 season.
As a result, the veteran Kimber elects to depart from the Florida program after two seasons. He concludes his career with the Gators having accounted for 36 tackles, six pass breakups, one interception and one touchdown in 25 appearances (11 starts).
He chronologically follows defensive back Jadarrius Perkins, offensive tackle Jordan Herman, tight end Jonathan Odom, kicker Adam Mihalek, defensive back Kamari Wilson, defensive lineman Will Norman, quarterback Max Brown, wide receiver Caleb Douglas, wide receiver Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman, defensive lineman Keenan Landry, tight end Andrew Savaiinaea, defensive lineman Chris McClellan, offensive lineman Jalen Farmer, edge rusher Princely Umanmielen, running back Trevor Etienne and safety Miguel Mitchell into the portal.
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