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Southern Miss transfer CB Micheal Caraway Jr. commits to Florida

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•01/17/25•

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Denny Medley | USA TODAY Sports

Southern Miss transfer CB Micheal Caraway Jr. committed to Florida, he announced via social media. He spent three years with the Eagles after starting his career at the JUCO level.

Caraway visited UF earlier this month after officially entering the transfer portal Dec. 27, Gators Online’s Corey Bender reported. He’s coming off his most productive season at Southern Miss, totaling 37 tackles before transferring for his final year of eligibility.

All told, over his three years at Southern Miss, Caraway totaled 70 tackles to go with two tackles for loss. He previously played at Southwest Mississippi C.C. and Pearl River C.C. before his three years with the Eagles.

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.

Micheal Caraway played high school football at Poplarville (Miss.) Jefferson Davis County and played his first year of JUCO ball in 2020. His last year of eligibility came after the NCAA granted a blanket waiver following Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia’s lawsuit seeking another season despite spending two years at New Mexico Military Institute.

Judge William Campbell sided with Pavia, granting a preliminary injunction which paved the way for him to return to Vanderbilt in 2025. The timing of Campbell’s decision came more than a week after the transfer portal opened. Pavia cited the portal window in the suit, citing the need for time to negotiate NIL deals.

The NCAA then followed suit, announcing a blanket waiver. Athletes who attended a non-NCAA school for at least one year and have eligibility left will be able to compete in 2025-26 as a result of the decision. That means players such as Pavia and Caraway will be able to suit up, if they so choose. The NCAA is also appealing Campbell’s decision in the lawsuit, as expected.

In previously filed documents, Pavia wrote that he believed he could earn more than $1 million through NIL in 2025 if allowed another season. Sources told On3’s Pete Nakos that as the decision, Pavia does not plan to enter the transfer portal, and he has been outspoken about his desire to suit up for Vanderbilt one more time.

Caraway is the fourth transfer commit for Billy Napier and Florida this cycle. The Gators finished the 2024 season on an impressive surge, finishing 8-5 with a Gasparilla Bowl victory over Tulane.