Florida Football: Which players from the transfer portal will add the most value?

#7 Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson
- OT San Diego State

In truth, Crenshaw-Dickson is probably a better player than some other guys we are going to rank ahead of him. But remember we are ranking this list based on value added and Crenshaw-Dickson feels like he will be a victim of a numbers game.

With Austin Barber still in the fold, on paper there is only one starter spot for tackle up for grabs if one is to assume that Damieon George is either going to be moved to guard or is going to outright lose his starting spot.

And even though the metrics are solid enough on Crenshaw-Dickson, we have a feeling, fair or unfair, he will get beat out by the other tackle transfer Florida brought in based on "SEC experience."

#6
Chimere Dike
-WR Wisconsin

The entire calling card for Dike is that he played with Mertz while both were at Wisconsin and he was one of Mertz's favorite targets.

He better hope that connection is still there because Dike did not have a great 2023 season, catching just 19 passes.

In 2022 with Mertz, he caught 47 passes for 689 yards and six touchdowns.

One of the big caveats, though, is that in 2022, Dike was lined up in the slot. In 2023, Dike lined up out wide.

Well, Florida has this guy named Tre Wilson that likes to split between the slot and out wide. So unless Wilson is going to line up out wide more or Florida is going to line up two guys in the slot (which we are in favor of), there is a chance Dike gets lost in the wash.

#5 DJ Douglas
- DB Tulane

Tackling is a concern for Douglas as he had a missed tackle rate in 2023 of 22%.

And if the plan is to keep him at safety, Douglas too could get lost in the wash behind Jordan Castell and another key transfer the Gators are brining in.

But after a solid stretch of games to end his 2023 campaign, as well as a respectable game against Ole Miss early in the season, the is enough upside to Douglas that he could be a solid contributor in 2024.

#4 Grayson Howard
- LB South Carolina

Pup Howard was an original target for the Gators that wound up spending his freshman season with South Carolina and saw snaps right away.

His pass coverage skills are still in question, but an encouraging sign is that Howard wasn't dinged with a single missed tackle in 221 snaps in 2023.

And with Scooby Williams gone, Howard should be in contention with Myles Graham, Aaron Chiles, and Mannie Nunnery to grab the starter slot alongside Shemar James in 2024.