Another Florida Gator may be leaving the swamp. Defensive back Brian Edwards took to Twitter to announce he is leaving Gainesville in search of a new opportunity.
“Unfortunately, I will be entering the transfer portal and looking to further my education and athletic ability elsewhere,” Edwards said in his statement. “This was a very tough decision for me. I have built great relationships, impacted others, and grown so much throughout the time attending the university.”
By entering the NCAA’s transfer portal, Edwards is now free to have communication with any other college football program that is interested in adding him to their program. He can also remain at Florida and remove his name from the database, although he now runs the risk of Florida removing him from a scholarship. It appears Edwards is not planning on a return to the Gators, however, so both sides may be moving in new directions with that assumption in mind.
Edwards came to Florida in the Class of 2017. Edwards played in eight games last fall for the Gators. He recorded seven total tackles, including five solo tackles, and broke up four passes in a reserve role.
The announcement of a transfer may not be all too shocking given the off-field headlines Edwards has been centered in this offseason. In May, Edwards was arrested for battery of his girlfriend, but those charges were dropped in late June due to insufficient evidence for the state attorney’s office to pursue the case. Edwards’ girlfriend declined to press charges. Edwards noted in his statement that he has had some ups and downs during his time with the Florida program.
Edwards will have two years of eligibility left to use. However, should he land at another FBS program, Edwards will have to sacrifice one of those remaining years and sit out the upcoming 2019 season due to NCAA transfer rules. He would be eligible again in 2020. He can play immediately this fall if he transfers to an FCS or another lower-division program.
Florida has already lost a handful of players from the incoming Class of 2019 and is starting to see some depth concerns at various positions on the roster. I May, following a series of headlines involving members of the Gators program and legal issues, head coach Dan Mullen addressed the concerns and stressed the positive direction the program is heading in spite of the off-field headlines.