Every year, the college coaching roller coaster gets wilder. The Florida Gators were able to capitalize on the unusual offseason this year by adding a four-star talent to the 2024 class late. Nick Saban left his position as Alabama’s head coach earlier this month after 17 seasons in that role. The Crimson Tide now have a new head coach in charge.
That has caused several names from their roster to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal as of late. That also opened the door for the Florida Gators to snag Tampa (Fla.) Catholic four-star defensive back Jameer Grimsley, who entered the NCAA Transfer Portal recently after all the changes going on in Tuscaloosa. After enrolling, and even going through bowl game practices with the team in January, all the change in Tuscaloosa going on caused Grimsley to change course. He will now continue his athletic and academic career in Gainesville.
The Gators finished second for Grimsley this past summer when he committed to Alabama over Florida and Michigan. Despite that verbal pledge at the time, the Gators did not slow their efforts to try and flip him as the year went on. He attended the Gators match up against Georgia in Jacksonville, as well as their game against Florida State this past season. He also took an official visit to the program in December before signing day as well. He entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on January 18 during the 30 day window granted for players at Alabama due to the coaching change.
He had been recruited by former defensive back coach Corey Raymond, but new secondary coach Will Harris also targeted Grimsley late once he was hired as well. Head coach Billy Napier was also involved in the pursuit of Grimsley throughout the process as well. The consistent message from Napier during their pursuit of Grimsley as a prospect was he is the type of player the program needs.
“He was saying I am a priority, they need guys to come to Florida to try and get it to what it used to be. Winning the SEC, competing for National Championships. That is what he’s trying to bring back. He thinks I can be a part of something special.”
While Grimsley was a 2024 recruit, with him entering his name into the NCAA Transfer Portal and not being released from his Letter of Intent, he does not count towards Florida’s 2024 recruiting class. With that being said, he’s the 10th addition to the roster from the transfer ranks. He joins the likes of former Penn defensive lineman Joey Slackman, former South Carolina linebacker Grayson Howard, former Oregon defensive back Trikweze Bridges, former Wisconsin wide receiver Chimere Dike, former Arkansas offensive lineman Devon Manuel, former San Diego State offensive lineman Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, former Northern Illinois edge George Gumbs, former Colorado State quarterback Clay Millen, and former Tulane defensive back DJ Douglas.
The 247Sports Composite, an industry generated average, currently ranks Grimsley as the Nation’s No. 189 overall prospect in the 2024 recruiting class and No. 17 ranked cornerback in the 2024 recruiting class.
