It’s never too late to add more pieces, especially when they come from a conference rival.
That was the mentality for the Florida Gators as they gained a commitment from four-star defensive back Jameer Grimsley, who had recently entered the transfer portal after originally signing with the Alabama Crimson Tide last month.
BREAKING: Former Alabama CB Jameer Grimsley has Committed to Florida, he tells @on3sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 21, 2024
The 6’3 187 CB chose the Gators over LSU
“I dreamed about this since I was a jit & feel like it was God’s plan that everything happened the way it did.”https://t.co/SbuLgxkKHl pic.twitter.com/O9SShcz439
With the stepping down of legendary head coach Nick Saban, the NCAA allowed Alabama players a 30-day window to enter the transfer portal if they wanted to do so.
Grimsley, who attended Tampa (Fla.) Catholic High School, originally had the Gators as one of his top three options before he eventually committed to Alabama.
However, the commitment did not stop the Gators’ efforts to try and flip what they saw as a key piece of their future. Grimsley was in attendance at both of Florida’s matchups against Georgia and Florida State, and also went on a full visit this past December.
Grimsley ultimately signed his letter of intent with the Crimson Tide, but with the shocking news of Saban’s departure, he decided to move on. Since he signed his NLI, he had to enter the portal to move teams, which means he will not count in No. 15 ranked Gator class in the 2024 overall team recruiting rankings.
Previously, former defensive back coach Corey Raymond was in hot pursuit of Grimsely’s services, but following his firing, new secondary coach Will Harris assumed the recruiting role, playing a key part in flipping the four-star.
In fact, it was Raymond’s LSU Tigers who were also in contention for Grimsley after he entered the portal, but Grimsley ultimately decided to make his way to Gainesville.
The secondary was a key area that Billy Napier looked to improve on this upcoming season, and Grimsley is the Gators most highly-touted defensive back recruit now that he’s joined the team.
The 247Sports Composite has Grimsley ranked as the No. 189 overall player and the No. 17 cornerback in the 2024 class.