After a weekend of speculation, Deshawn Purdie has withdrawn his signed documents with the Florida Gators and re-entered the transfer portal, according to On3’s Pete Nakos.
Purdie, who committed to Florida on December 22 from UNC Charlotte, was expected to be the backup QB for Florida in 2025 with the long-range potential of taking over for DJ Lagway down the road.
Florida Football: In And Out
The 6-foot-4 Purdie showed promise as a freshman at Charlotte, passing for 1,802 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions during the 2024 season.
Purdie initially chose Florida over offers from Georgia, North Carolina, and Mississippi State,
But word started to circulate over the weekend that Purdie was having a change of heart. Graham Hall of Swamp247 had reported that Purdie was having a change of heart. One of the reasons cited was that Purdie seemed to believe he would have a shot at being the starter for Florida in 2025. With Lagway in town, that was obviously never going to happen to start the season and has left plenty of fans scratching their head.
The Gators still have four-star freshman Tramell Jones Jr., former Colorado State transfer Clay Millen, and Aidan Warner on the roster to compete to be the backup in 2025.
Last year, when Lagway was hurt, Warner was called upon but struggled. It's unclear why Millen never got a look after he was QB3 during the spring, and Jones will be a true freshman in 2025.