A former top target and commit to Florida, Elijah Blades announced his intention to complete his collegiate career with the Gators via Instagram on Friday.
Blades is finishing a class at Texas A&M, where he spent the last two years before entering the NCAA transfer portal in June. In 2019, the California native played in 7 games for the Aggies, compiling 19 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and three passes defensed.
Blades opted out of 2020 to prepare for the NFL Draft before deciding to return for his final year of eligibility.
Blades had a whirlwind recruitment in 2016-17 as he was committed to Florida but ultimately signed with Nebraska before ending up going JUCO. He was originally ranked as a four-star prospect by the 247 composite rankings.
After a stint in junior college, Blades committed to Oregon before landing at Texas A&M. He also held an offer from Florida at the time.
Now, we’ve come full circle as Elijah Blades appears finally set to step on campus and into a crowded UF secondary. The Gators have had a lot of success navigating the transfer portal, picking up four former five star prospects with multiple years of eligibility and finding much needed depth, particularly along the offensive and defensive lines.