The day after his transfer visit to Florida, wide receiver portal prospect Bryson Rodgers has announced his return to Ohio State.
Shortly following his Friday transfer visit at the University of Florida, Ohio State wide receiver Bryson Rodgers announced his withdrawal from the NCAA transfer portal with plans to return to the Buckeyes.
“I appreciate all the coaches that blessed me with an opportunity to come to their program,” Rodgers wrote via social media Saturday morning. “This has been no where easy for me. Buckeye nation, with deep reconsideration and thought, I will be returning to The Ohio State University.”
Rodgers, a product of Wesley Chapel (Fla.) Wiregrass Ranch and class of 2023 recruiting target of the Gators, considered Florida among other programs as a transfer prospect after entering the portal earlier this month.
His return to Ohio State leaves Florida continuing to search for a 10th scholarship wideout entering the 2024 offseason. The state of the Gators’ wide receiver room is assessed at the bottom of this story.
Florida is hosting Ohio State wide receiver transfer Bryson Rodgers on a visit Friday, according to Blake Alderman of 247Sports.
Rodgers, a former recruiting target of the Gators from the class of 2023, officially entered the NCAA transfer portal on Jan. 2 after one season with the Buckeyes, a campaign in which he appeared in two games.
“Buckeye Nation, I sincerely appreciate all of the love and support y’all have provided as it was truly a dream come true to put on the scarlet and grey and represent Buckeye Nation,” Rodgers, an Ohio native, wrote via social media on Dec. 31, 2023. “With that being said, I will be entering my name in the transfer portal to seize a better opportunity.”
A three-season varsity standout at Wesley Chapel (Fla.) Wiregrass Ranch, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound Rodgers compiled 110 receptions for 1,625 yards and 29 touchdowns over 26 varsity games in high school, roughly two hours south of UF. He added two interceptions defensively.
Rodgers was recognized as the No. 49 wide receiver and No. 357 overall prospect in the 2023 cycle by the 247Sports composite rankings, making him a consensus four-star. He visited Florida thrice while considering his collegiate options as a high school recruit.
247Sports considers Rodgers as the No. 39-ranked wideout and the No. 208 overall player to enter the transfer portal this offseason.
Florida previously secured the transfer commitment of wide receiver Chimere Dike from Wisconsin in December, after star Gators pass-catcher Ricky Pearsall entered the NFL Draft upon the exhaustion of his college eligibility.
The position remains of need for UF, though, after experienced wide receivers Caleb Douglas, a former starter, and Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman, a depth piece and special teamer, entered the transfer portal this offseason. Douglas has since transferred to Texas Tech.
Florida is slated to return 119 receptions, 1,298 yards and 10 touchdowns at wide receiver in 2024, career numbers from a combined six scholarship contributors. Rising sophomore Eugene Wilson III accounts for more than half of those receptions (61) and scores (six).
The Gators signed two wideouts from the high school level in the class of 2024, Jerrae Hawkins Jr. and Tawaski Abrams, giving the team nine scholarship receivers in total entering the offseason.
