Florida Gators 2025 Transfer Portal Profiles: QB Harrison Bailey
GAINESVILLE, Fla.– The Florida Gators have made five additions to its upcoming 2025 roster, via the NCAA Transfer Portal.
Gators Illustrated is tracking all of Florida’s portal moves here and is keeping count of the Gators’ roster numbers here.
With entry to the portal closed, Gators Illustrated is taking a look at each transfer addition and where they could fit in the lineup for next season. Punter Tommy Doman was featured first as Jeremy Crawshaw’s replacement with receiver J. Michael Sturdivant, edge rusher Kofi Asare and
defensive back Micheal Caraway Jr. being featured after.
Rounding out the group is quarterback Harrison Bailey from Louisville.
Harrison Bailey
Profile
- Former school: Louisville
- Height/Weight: 6-5, 230 pounds
- 2024 Stats: 24-33, 277 yards, 3 TDs
- Career stats: 108-172, 1,190 yards, 10 TDs, 3 INT
- Years of eligibility: One
- Replaces: Graham Mertz, Deshawn Purdie
- Projection: Second string quarterback
The Rundown
The Florida Gators entered the 2024 season with one of the more talented quarterback rooms in the country in veteran incumbent Graham Mertz, five-star true freshman DJ Lagway and experienced third-stringer Clay Millen.
However, Florida finished the 2024 season with massive depth concerns at the position with Mertz, who was injured, graduating, Lagway dealing with a hamstring issue and Millen being passed up on the depth chart by Aidan Warner, who struggled in his two appearances of extensive play time.
Although he signed four-star quarterback Tramell Jones and is returning every quarterback outside of Mertz, head coach Billy Napier knew he needed another body in the room to help alleviate the depth concerns.
“I think it was a little bit more just about a guy who could compete with the other young players, compete with Tramell, compete with Aidan, provide some stability there,” he said in December. “We’d like to have a certain number in that room. Tramell didn’t play (last) year, was injured. So we were looking for another quarterback, and I think we went down a lot of rabbit holes there, but I think we landed in a good spot.”
The Gators originally found its answer in Charlotte quarterback Deshawn Purdie before the freshman departed from the program in favor of a chance to compete for the starting position at Wake Forest.
Enter Harrison Bailey, a career backup in stints with Tennessee, UNLV and Louisville who has shown flashes of capability when his number was called. Although he has thrown for less than 1,200 yards in his career, his most-recent outing in the Cardinals’ bowl win shows he is a more than capable backup behind Lagway.
Bailey completed 64 percent of his passes for 164 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the 35-34 win over Washington, which was his first start since 2020. Since arriving on campus, Napier expressed his pleasure with Bailey and his abilities during the team’s offseason workout program.
“I’ve been very impressed with Harrison just in the first few sessions,” he said in December. “I think we had a gap in there, you know, and I think it was challenging to add players to the team given DJ and the success he was having as a rookie. But yeah, I think Harrison, that was a big deal to get a guy who’s played in the SEC, who’s prepared as the backup or a starter for a long time. A proven, good passer, accurate passer.”
The hope for Florida next season will be to keep Lagway healthy, but if any of the injury issues from last season carry over, the Gators appear to be in a much better spot depth-wise than they were last season.
