GAINESVILLE — The Florida Gators picked up the pace in the transfer portal, adding a slew of players after a quiet start to coach Jon Sumrall’s rebuild.
Georgia Tech quarterback Aaron Philo’s signing and tailback Jadan Baugh’s return highlighted a busy Tuesday, featuring the additions of Penn State offensive linemen TJ Shanahan and Egan Boyer, Cincinnati tailback Evan Pryor and a pair of Tulane specialists, placekicker Patrick Durkin and punter Alec Clark.
As Tuesday came to a close, Florida also secured 6-foot-7, 295-pound defensive end Emmanuel Oyebadejo, who hails from Manchester, England, and spent the past two seasons at Jacksonville State in Alabama.
On Wednesday, the Gators picked up Wake Forest receiver Micah Mays Jr., a 4-star from The Benjamin School in North Palm Beach rated the nation’s No. 25 receiver in the 2023 class. He caught 34 passes for 520 yards and four scores during 22 games the past two seasons with the Demon Deacons.
The towering Oyebadejo is one of the more intriguing transfers among the dozen the Gators have landed thus far.
He recorded 41 tackles, including 6.5 for loss (4.5 sacks), in 2025 after not appearing in 2024. He also had six quarterback hurries, five pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
Shanahan and Boyer will follow new Gators’ assistant Phil Trautwein, the starter at left tackle on Florida’s 2006 and 2008 national championship teams and offensive line coach the past six seasons at Penn State.
A 6-foot-4, 330-pound redshirt junior, Shanahan appeared in five games in 13 appearances after he transferred from Texas A&M, where he started five games and played 419 snaps during 10 appearances in 2024. The 6-foot-8, 302-pound Boyer appeared in 12 games in two seasons, including eight in 2025.
Boyer and Shanahan joined an experienced core at UF, including left guard Knijeah Harris, who started 25 games the past two seasons, right tackle Caden Jones, who started 10 games in 2025, and five-game starter Bryce Lovett.
Pryor arrives as an experience backup for Baugh, who aims to build on 1,170 rushing yards behind an improved offensive line and offensive scheme designed by new coordinator Buster Faulkner.
The 5-foot-9, 195-pound Pryor rushed for 940 yards and nine scores on 123 carries the past two seasons at Cincinnati after he transferred from Ohio State.
The nation’s No. 7 running prospect in 2021 out of Cornelius, N.C., where he and Boyer both attended Hough High School. Pryor played two seasons and appeared in just eight games for the Buckeyes.
Durkin and Clark will fill critical needs after following new special teams coach Johnathan Galante from Tulane.
Durkin was named the American Conference’s Special Teams Player of the Year after making 25-of-28 field goal attempts, including four makes from at least 50 yards as a redshirt freshman. Durkin tied second nationally in made field goals while also he ranked fifth with 66 touchbacks (on 77 kicks).
Clark, a native of Australia, led the AAC with an average of 46.5 yards on 48 attempts, including 16 inside the 20-yard line. Clark followed Galante from Marshall and has two seasons of remaining eligibility.
Durkin will step in for Trey Smack, who made a school-record 10 50-yarders, while Clark will replace Michigan transfer Tommy Doman. Doman averaged 44.04 yards after replacing Jeremy Crawshaw, another Aussie who averaged a school-record 46.4 yards, including a single-season mark of 48.9 in 2023.
On Monday, UF added Baylor defensive tackle DK Kalu and and James Madison tight end Lacota Dippre.
The 6-foot-4, 309-pound Kalu had 11 tackles as a redshirt sophomore in 2025, while the 6-foot-3, 252-pound Dippre had 17 catches for 192 yards and three scores in 13 appearances for a CFP qualifier.
Baylor safety DJ Coleman was the first transfer to sign with Florida. On Sunday, the 6-foot-1, 209-pound Coleman announced his plans to join the Gators after he recorded 46 tackles, including 6.5 for loss, along with two interceptions, four pass breakups and two quarterback hurries in 12 games in 2025 as a redshirt sophomore.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com