Report: Florida losing former 5-star RB to transfer portal
After Billy Napier cut three players from the program earlier in the week, the Florida Gators lost another scholarship player on Friday. Running back Demarkcus Bowman, a former five-star recruit out of high school, has entered his name into the transfer portal, according to On3.
Bowman came to Gainesville in 2020 after playing his freshman year at the Clemson Tigers. That makes this his second transfer, which means he will be required to sit out for a year before playing with a new team. That might not be so different than what he would be doing at Florida, though, with Montrell Johnson, Nay'Quan Wright, Lorenzo Lingard and Trevor Etienne in UF’s running backs room.
Entering the portal doesn’t guarantee Bowman’s departure, but Florida is still over the scholarship limit and the room is too crowded for a talent that was once considered among the top 20 recruits in the nation. Bowman’s far from a bust at this point. He still possesses good speed and impressed many during spring practices. He ran the ball 14 times for 81 yards in 2021 across appearances in five games.
Florida should be okay without Bowman given the depth in the room. It also opens the door for Etienne to pick up some carries as a freshman, especially if injuries come into play. Both of last year’s starting backs, Dameon Pierce and Malik Davis, are gone and Napier likes to run the ball.
