/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/CH5AXXIBRJCBVBVR4JBECUBV6U.jpg?ssl=1 "Florida Gators coach Billy Napier’s first remarks on Elijhah Badger transfer")
TAMPA — Florida Gators coach Billy Napier upgraded his receiver room late last week with the commitment of Arizona State transfer Elijhah Badger.
With the paperwork official, Napier could finally comment on Badger’s addition Monday night during a stop on his Gators Caravan tour at The Westshore Grand.
Napier’s scouting report: “He’s got good catch radius. He’s tough, got some special teams value, returner value, and then I think a good run-after-catch player.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Badger showed that with the Sun Devils. Over his final two seasons there, he caught 135 passes for 1,579 yards and 10 touchdowns. Napier, a former Arizona State assistant, could use some of his familiarity with that program to vet (and ultimately get) one of the top receivers in the spring transfer portal window.
Badger was a top-200 high school recruit in California and a four-star transfer prospect. His recent addition helped lift Florida to the nation’s No. 5 transfer portal class.
Badger also provides a veteran presence to a room that is still relatively young.
“It gives us time to grow up some of the young players in the room and will certainly give (quarterback Graham) Mertz an additional weapon for his final year,” Napier said.
The Gators open Napier’s third season Aug. 31 against Miami.
We’ll have more on from Napier’s stop in Tampa later.
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