Florida Gators football: Nay’Quan Wright, Donovan McMillion to enter transfer portal

Football

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Image Credit: UAA

With the transfer portal window opening Monday, a number of Florida Gators this week have made their future intentions known as part of a process that should continue well through the weekend. Two more Gators made decisions to enter the portal on Friday as Florida continues to experience what has long been expected attrition of its roster.

Redshirt sophomore running back Nay’Quan Wright and sophomore safety Donovan McMillion are the latest who are choosing to seek new opportunities beginning in 2023.

Wright, who started the first four games of the season but unfortunately showed a lack of explosiveness and production following offseason ankle surgery, was eventually moved to third string on the depth chart behind breakout rushers sophomore Montrell Johnson Jr. and freshman Trevor Etienne. Wright only amassed three carries since Oct. 15 and spent most of the second half of the season not seeing the field.

The former four-star prospect ended the 2022 campaign with 190 yards rushing and two touchdowns after taking 163 combined touches for 930 total yards and four touchdowns across the prior two seasons. With the Gators not throwing the ball to their running backs as they did under the prior coaching staff, Wright’s pass catching ability out of the backfield was no longer a difference maker that earned him playing time.

“While my experiences a Gator has been invaluable, it is with a full heart and optimism for the future that I announce I will be entering the transfer portal as a graduate transfer this December with 2 years left to play college football,” Wright announced on Twitter.

McMillion, who suited up in all 25 games for Florida across the last two seasons, played mostly on special teams for the Gators this year. The former four-star prospect ranked among the top 200 players in the Class of 2021 was listed as a second-string safety behind redshirt senior Trey Dean III throughout the campaign.

“It has been a dream come true to suit up in the orange and blue. From day one I gave this program everything in me to earn the opportunity to help this team. In order to obtain all of my goals and aspirations, my family and I have decided it’s best for me to enter the transfer portal,” said McMillon as part of a statement on Twitter.

With Wright and McMillion choosing not to return, the Gators now have 14 players who have either declared for the draft, entered the transfer portal or been dismissed from the team. Florida expects significantly more attrition to come, which it will need to sign its recruiting class and add its own transfers out of the portal.