For the most part, Florida has done well to land solid players out of the transfer portal. Very few of the players the Gators have grabbed feel like a reach and one can envision how this portal class could come together and kickstart Florida in 2026.
But one area where most fans think Florida needs help heading into 2026 is at offensive tackle, and while the Gators just grabbed one from Stanford, the optics behind the signing have fans scratching their heads.
Emeka Ugorji signs with the Gators
Emeka Ugorji is an offensive tackle from Stanford who just signed with the Gators out of the transfer portal. As a true freshman, Ugorji took 523 snaps and started eight games in 2025.
Ugorji presents an interesting case study because he even though he intends to be a tackle in Gainesville, he spent most of the 2025 campaign as a guard. His only real action as a tackle was against San Jose State and against UNC. His first game at tackle went well, and he didn’t give up any QB pressures.
His game against UNC, however, was an unmitigated disaster. PFF grades don’t always tell the whole story, but his grade of 33.8 from the UNC game was well deserved. On film, Ugorji just never looked comfortable in that game, which is understandable since it was just his second game at tackle. When he wasn’t getting bowled over, he just never had a set base to hold in pass protection, and he had zero ability to hold up one-on-one.
Some of the reaction to Ugorji has been visceral in part because of the PFF grade but also because the only other tackle Florida has grabbed out of the portal is Penn State’s Eagan Boyer, who played extensive snaps in the Pinstripe Bowl against Clemson and had his own fair share of struggles.
But the massive caveat to Ugorji's struggles is that, normally, true freshmen are not thrust into action like he was. In 2025, only 39 true freshmen nationwide took at least 500 snaps along the offensive line, and only 17 of those were listed as tackles. Throw in new offensive line coach Phil Trautwein, who Gator fans seem to trust, being the one who made Ugorji such a massive target to go get, and this could be a case of just needing more size and some better coaching.
There is a chance Ugorji could be a starter once again in 2026. It’s not unfair to be skeptical, though, and this will be an early case study on whether Trautwein can be the offensive line whisperer at Florida.