Florida cornerback Jalen Kimber is now in the process of entering the NCAA transfer portal.
Starting cornerback Jalen Kimber has become the 17th player from Florida’s 2023 roster to indicate his intent to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason, as reported on Friday. Kimber, who is set to earn his bachelor’s degree from UF in the spring, plans to transfer as a graduate student.
Having transferred to Florida from Georgia before the 2022 season, Kimber faced challenges in his first year with the program, finding moments of promise amid injuries, some stemming from his time with the Bulldogs. Although he competed for the starting position in 2023, injuries to teammate Devin Moore early in the year elevated Kimber into a significant role in the Gators’ defense.
While Kimber made notable contributions at the beginning of the season, the team’s defensive success was not sustained. As Moore regained health and freshman Ja’Keem Jackson emerged, Kimber’s performance began to waver. Moore and Jackson’s growing roles offer Florida multiple options for the upcoming 2024 season.
As a result, Kimber, a veteran, has chosen to depart from the Florida program after two seasons. In his time with the Gators, he accumulated 36 tackles, six pass breakups, one interception, and one touchdown in 25 appearances, including 11 starts.
Kimber joins a list of players entering the transfer portal, including Jadarrius Perkins, Jordan Herman, Jonathan Odom, Adam Mihalek, Kamari Wilson, Will Norman, Max Brown, Caleb Douglas, Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman, Keenan Landry, Andrew Savaiinaea, Chris McClellan, Jalen Farmer, Princely Umanmielen, Trevor Etienne, and Miguel Mitchell. Some of these players have already announced their transfer destinations.
Heading into the critical 2024 campaign, the Gators are expected to rely on players such as Jason Marshall Jr., Devin Moore, Ja’Keem Jackson, Trikweze Bridges, Dijon Johnson, Aaron Gates, Teddy Foster, and Ethan Pouncey to fill roles within the team.
