Florida head coach Billy Napier, left, talks with quarterback Graham Mertz (15) during a timeout in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Vanderbilt, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Florida DB Miguel Mitchell transfers to Arkansas.
Former Gator safety Miguel Mitchell has found a new collegiate home. He will continue in the SEC.
Former Florida safety Miguel Mitchell will transfer to Arkansas, the Razorbacks announced on Friday.
Mitchell, a late addition to Billy Napier’s 2022 transitional recruiting class as Florida’s newly appointed head coach at the time, was regarded as a high-potential three-star prospect. He chose Florida over Tennessee, LSU, and Oregon, among other programs vying for his talents, before signing on National Signing Day.
After a speedy acclimation process upon his arrival in Gainesville, Mitchell emerged into the secondary rotation midway through his true freshman season, playing as the team’s STAR nickel cornerback in heavy packages geared to fight short yardage or jumbo set offensive personnel groupings.
He shown promise at the spot early, displaying a towering physique at 6-foot-1, 215 pounds as a third-level defender.
As the year continued on, Mitchell emerged in the Florida backend, working alongside fellow frosh Kamari Wilson in the two-deep rotation in relief of starters Trey Dean III and Rashad Torrence II.
His play earned him a frequent place in the Gators 2023 gameplan when the year opened.
However, despite the intriguing intangibles he exhibited working downhill as a run stopper at heavy STAR, Mitchell’s speed and open-field tackling failures proved harmful to his future at Florida.
Mitchell was ultimately passed up by true freshman Bryce Thornton to operate alongside fellow rookie Jordan Castell by the season’s end, culminating in Mitchell’s decision to join the transfer portal on Dec. 13.
The Oxford, Ala. native appeared in 24 games, with eight starts, for the Gators over two seasons. He contributed for 52 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one interception, three passes deflected and a forced fumble.
He’ll hope to resuscitate his collegiate career as a junior with the Razorbacks in 2024, continuing in the Southeastern Conference.
Mitchell is the 16th Gator that departed via the transfer portal this offseason to find a new home.
Florida has hauled in two transfer safety pledges since the completion of the 2023 season from Trikweze Bridges (Oregon) and DJ Douglas (Tulane). They’ll join existing starters Castell and Thronton as well as 2024 signees Josiah Davis and Gregory Smith III in the position room headed by Will Harris next season.
