Jon Sumrall Faces Mass Exodus as Florida’s Elite OT Announces Transfer Portal Decision

Former Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall quickly became one of the most sought-after names in the coaching carousel as several power-conference openings surfaced. Florida won the race in the end, hiring Sumrall to replace Billy Napier.

Since being named Florida’s new head coach two and a half weeks ago, Sumrall has been balancing his remaining responsibilities with Tulane while also assembling his coaching staff in Gainesville.

Jon Sumrall Confronts Roster Shakeup as Top Florida Tackle Announces Exit

Florida offensive tackle Marcus Mascoll is set to enter the NCAA transfer portal. After spending two seasons with the Gators, he never appeared in a game during his time in Gainesville. Mascoll will still have three years of eligibility remaining and shifted positions ahead of the 2025 season, moving from offensive tackle to center.

Mascoll earned recognition on the SEC First Year Academic Honor Roll in 2024-25. On the depth chart, he sat behind All-American center Jake Slaughter, along with reserves Roderick Kearney and Jason Zandamela-Popa.

Mascoll was the latest player to join the growing exodus at Florida, as multiple players are expected to hit the transfer portal. It will be challenging for Sumrall, who arrived at Florida to resurrect a program coming off a 4-8 season.

Sumrall addressed the importance of retaining current Florida players on Dec. 1.

“Roster building, it starts with our current team,” Sumrall said. “I just got the chance to meet with those guys. Retention in these days of the college football world is the most important thing to build a team,” Sumrall said. “We need those guys to stay, and that’s the first recruiting effort I have.”

Besides Mascoll, the other Florida players who hit the portal are: cornerback Jameer Grimsley, linebacker Grayson Howard, wide receiver Tank Hawkins, safety Teddy Foster, wide receiver Aidan Mizell, safety Josiah Davis, tight end Amir Jackson, safety Jordan Castell, running back KD Daniels and wide receiver Muizz Tounkara. However, the most significant loss was quarterback DJ Lagway.

There has been some positive news, as linebacker Myles Graham already announced he will remain with the Gators through the 2026 season. Meanwhile, Sumrall has made it clear he plans to actively use the transfer portal to strengthen Florida’s roster.

“We will use the transfer portal,” Sumrall said. “If you’ve studied my rosters the last couple of years, I haven’t had the resources to keep very many of my good players. They all end up getting poached,” Sumrall said. “So I’ve had to embrace the transfer portal probably more than most, maybe even more than I’d like to at times, by necessity. But we will use the portal to enhance our team and to supplement where there may be holes or deficiencies.”

Florida is coming off its fourth losing season in the past five years and finished No. 52 in the PFSN College Football Playoff rankings this season. This lackluster season leaves plenty of room for Sumrall to reshape the program moving forward.