We see players transfer for just about every reason under the sun nowadays, from going closer to home to be with an ailing family member to just plain wanting more playing time.
The situation involving Florida defensive back Chris Steele might top them all in 2019 -- and reflect terribly on the current staff in Gainesville at the same time.
We learned on Thursday morning that the talented five-star early enrollee was entering the NCAA transfer portal after emerging from the Gators’ spring practice as a potential starter and key contributor on defense. While many wondered what exactly could prompt such a quick change of scenery for Steele just a few months after arriving on campus, GatorSports.com dug a little deeper into the situation and discovered that the entire episode could have been corrected a long time ago and was as simple as changing rooms:The decision stems from a request Steele made to the staff during his first month on campus, the source said. He asked to be moved to a different dorm because he was uncomfortable rooming with quarterback Jalon Jones, his classmate.
The staff did not plan to move Steele until the summer, which upset Steele and his parents, according to the source.
It turns out those fears of being uncomfortable around Jones were spot on for Steele as the signal-caller was accused of sexually assaulting a female in those very same dorms. A week later and both players are now in the transfer portal, one due to the accusations at the school and the other due to the school’s inactions to move him elsewhere.
Steele was Florida’s highest-rated recruit this most recent cycle and considered one of the top cornerbacks in the country coming out of high school in the Los Angeles area. He was at one-time committed to USC before flipping to the Gators and was recruited hard by the usual suspects like LSU, Clemson and Oklahoma as well.