Ole Miss WR Van Jefferson announces transfer to Florida
Another prominent member of the Ole Miss offense has found a new home.
Wide receiver Van Jefferson announced his transfer destination Monday night, declaring in a tweet he will remain in the SEC and continue his collegiate career at the University of Florida. At Florida, Jefferson will play for Dan Mullen, who accepted the UF job after nine seasons coaching Mississippi State, Ole Miss’ heated rival.
CHOMP! CHOMP!
— VJ12 (@VanJefferson12) December 19, 2017
Jefferson recently finished his redshirt sophomore season for the Rebels. He was second on the team with 42 receptions, giving him 91 catches for 999 yards and four touchdowns for his Ole Miss career.
Like many other Ole Miss players, Jefferson was given permission to pursue a transfer after the NCAA announced its sanctions on the program. As detailed by Yahoo Sports’ Pat Forde, the school initially put limits on the schools that could contact Jefferson. That included other SEC schools and the non-conference opponents on Ole Miss’ 2018 and 2019 schedules.
However, the athletic department decided to reverse course and remove the transfer restrictions. That change allowed Jefferson to choose Florida as his new school.
Whether Jefferson will immediately eligible to suit up in 2018 remains to be seen. Like quarterback Shea Patterson, who landed at Michigan, Jefferson is slated to be a junior next year. The NCAA penalties against Ole Miss allowed players who will be seniors in 2018 to be eligible instantly at their next stop. However, Jefferson could pursue an NCAA waiver for immediate eligibility.
If eligible, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Jefferson would be one of the Gators’ top receiving options right away. In 2017, Brandon Powell (42 catches, 406 yards) and Tyrie Cleveland (22 catches, 410 yards) led the way for Florida, which finished the season with a 4-7 record.
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Sam Cooper is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
