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Florida QB signee Deshawn Purdie flips commitment to Wake Forest

by:Alex Byington•about 11 hours•

_AlexByington

Deshawn Purdie Georgia
Sep 7, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte 49ers quarterback Deshawn Purdie (15) looks to pass in the third quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Florida signee and former Charlotte transfer QB Deshawn Purdie has flipped his transfer commitment to Wake Forest in a social media post on Friday.

Purdie’s flip comes four days after GatorsOnline reported Purdie’s signed agreement with Florida were withdrawn, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. Purdie will have three years of eligibility remaining.

The 6-foot-4 Purdie signed with the Gators on Dec. 22 over offers from Georgia, North Carolina and Mississippi State, with the official pledge coming a week after an official visit to Gainesville.

It’s a big loss for Florida, which planned for Purdie to serve as the backup to sophomore starter DJ Lagway. Purdie had the potential to compete for the starting job in 2027, according to GatorsOnline’s Keith Niebuhr.

Purdie will now compete with former South Carolina and Auburn quarterback Robby Ashford to be the Demon Deacons’ QB1 after Ashford committed to new Wake Forest head coach Jake Dickert earlier this month. 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, Purdie held offers from Maryland, Akron and James Madison, as well.

Former South Carolina, Auburn QB Robby Ashford commits to Wake Forest

Former South Carolina and Auburn quarterback Robby Ashford committed to Wake Forest, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

“Just what Coach Dickert is building and his vision for the program and wanting to win now, and the opportunity to come in and be the guy,” Ashford told ESPN about what stood out about Wake Forest..

Ashford noted other QBs like Cam Ward and John Mateer thrived under Dickert’s coaching.

“You see that, how could you not want to come to play for a coach like that,” Ashford told ESPN.

Robby Ashford appeared in eight games for the Gamecocks this season. He threw for 324 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 227 yards and two scores.

Ashford was a member of the 2020 recruiting class. He was ranked as a four-star recruit and the No. 23 quarterback in the country that year, per the On3 Industry rankings.

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.

Nick Kosko contributed to this report.