Florida used the winter transfer portal to improve its roster for the second year in a row, signing a dozen collegiate football veterans to enhance the Gators’ squad heading into the 2024 summer. Every Gator is projecting duties for each transfer acquisition. Next on the list is wide receiver Chimere Dike, who will reunite with his former quarterback, Graham Mertz, at Florida after previously playing together at Wisconsin.
Following four seasons with the Badgers, none of which he redshirted, Dike joins Florida as a graduate transfer with one season of eligibility remaining, thanks to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic eligibility extension granted to active collegiate athletes.
Dike, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 185 pounds, was a consensus three-star prospect in the 2020 class at Waukesha (Wis.) North High School. Despite his average prospect grade, Dike made an instant impact for the Badgers, starting six of seven games as a freshman in 2020 and catching 12 catches for 189 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed six times for 48 yards that year.
Dike, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 185 pounds, was a consensus three-star prospect in the 2020 class at Waukesha (Wis.) North High School. Despite his average prospect grade, Dike made an instant impact for the Badgers, starting six of seven games as a freshman in 2020 and catching 12 catches for 189 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed six times for 48 yards that year.
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Although Dike returned to a depth role as a second-year freshman, he upped his statistical totals in 2021 with 19 catches for 272 yards and a touchdown in 13 outings.
His performance contributed to his emergence as a full-time starter and important contributor in 2022, his final season with Mertz in the Big 10. As a sophomore, Dike led the Badgers with 47 receptions, 689 yards, and six touchdowns, accounting for 28.6%, 32.3%, and 31.6% of Mertz’s total performance, respectively.
His performance contributed to his emergence as a full-time starter and important contributor in 2022, his final season with Mertz in the Big 10. As a sophomore, Dike led the Badgers with 47 receptions, 689 yards, and six touchdowns, accounting for 28.6%, 32.3%, and 31.6% of Mertz’s total performance, respectively.
Without Mertz running the Wisconsin attack, Dike’s offensive output dropped dramatically in 2023, with 19 receptions for 328 yards and one touchdown. Throughout his time with the Gators, Mertz established single-season career highs in completion percentage (72.9%), throwing yards (2,903), and touchdowns (20).
Florida thinks that head coach Billy Napier’s offensive approach will open a new level of Dike’s game, similar to Mertz’s improvement. At the very least, the Gators expect Dike to return to the level of play he shown with Mertz as his quarterback in 2022, as they look to improve on the signal-caller’s strong performance in 2023. Dike will have lots of opportunities to work toward his ambitions. Ricky Pearsall, the Gators’ No. 1 wide receiver, left this offseason after completing his eligibility and heading to the NFL draft. Caleb Douglas, who began the 2023 season alongside Pearsall before suffering a year-ending injury, and Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman, a depth pass-catcher, also left UF via the transfer portal at the end of the season.
Freshman All-American Eugene Wilson III, who led the team with six touchdowns on 61 receptions and 538 yards as a rookie, and redshirt junior Kahleil Jackson, who filled in for Douglas at the end of 2023 and had 21 catches for 251 yards and one touchdown.
With Wilson replacing Pearsall in the slot, Dike will battle for a starting outside receiving spot with Jackson, senior Ja’Quavion Fraziars, redshirt junior Marcus Burke, and sophomores Andy Jean and Aidan Mizell. As a contributor to Wisconsin’s offense, Dike logged 1,279 snaps outside and 769 snaps in the slot, indicating that he could line up in either area for Florida. Dike’s career productivity, 97 receptions for 1,478 yards and nine touchdowns, may give him an advantage over the competition outside, while Wilson has previously proven himself good inside. Jackson, Fraziars, Burke, Jean, and Mizell have 58 receptions, 760 yards, and four touchdowns in college so far.
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