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Charlotte transfer QB Deshawn Purdie signs with Florida, Billy Napier

by:Alex Byington•12/22/24•

_AlexByington

Billy-Napier-Florida-Gators
Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]

Charlotte transfer quarterback Deshawn Purdie has signed paperwork to transfer to Florida, according to On3’s Pete Nakos.

The 6-foot-4 Purdie signed with the Gators over offers from Georgia, North Carolina and Mississippi State, with the official pledge coming a week after an official visit to Gainesville. Purdie will have three years of eligibility remaining.

“The coaching and their drive to be great. They have a good chip on their shoulder,” Purdie told Gators Online about what he liked from his official visit. “The coaching staff and players, I loved to see them work, how they come together, have fun at practice and everyone comes together as one.

“It was the staff for me, man,” Purdie added. “Not just the coaches, but the director of personnel (Jacob LaFrance) and the recruitment (department). There is just a lot of support and I love to see that support in the building and the amount of respect each of them have for each other.”

Purdie is just the third transfer to commit/sign with Florida since the portal opened Dec. 9, joining former UCLA receiver J.Michael Sturdivant and former Michigan punter Tommy Doman. Meanwhile, the Gators have lost 16 players from its 2024 squad to the transfer portal during that same span, including pass rushers Justus Boone (Arkansas), Kelby Collins (Alabama), Quincy Ivory (Jackson State), and Jack Pyburn (LSU), linebacker Deuce Spurlock (Liberty) and cornerback Ja’Keem Jackson (LSU) all signing elsewhere.

This past season, the true freshman Purdie completed 100-of-200 pass attempts, amassing 1,802 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. He added a rushing touchdown to his total, as well.

Purdie played high school football at Milford Mill Academy (MD), where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 1669 overall recruit in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

As a recruit, he held offers from Maryland, Akron and James Madison, as well.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

Corey Bender contributed to this report.