Billy Napier lost a big piece to Florida’s defensive puzzle on Tuesday when outside linebacker T.J. Searcy announced that he would enter the transfer portal. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder will have two years of eligibility remaining wherever he lands.

Searcy marks the 12th Gator to enter the portal thus far this cycle.

“Throughout my time here, I’ve not only grown as a player but as a person, and I will always carry those lessons with me,” Searcy said in his social media post. “I’m excited for the next chapter of my journey and I look forward to the opportunities ahead.”

As a starter for a third of this season, Searcy managed 34 tackles, including four tackles for loss, two sacks and two forced fumbles. The Gators were one of the strongest defensive teams in the SEC this season with 19 sacks and 11 interceptions. He was named to the SEC’s All-Freshman team after posting 26 tackles in year one.

Searcy, a former four-star prospect in the Rivals 100, originally picked Florida over Clemson, Auburn, Florida State and Georgia, among others.

Stay locked in on the Rivals Transfer Tracker to keep up with the latest transfer news, portal entries, commitments, and rankings. For a deep-dive into the transfer portal, make sure you visit the Rivals Transfer Search page.

The Rivals Transfer Portal X account is a must-follow for any college football fan.

The winter college football transfer portal window is scheduled to open on December 9th, 2024 for 20 days. Additionally, players have a 30-day window to transfer when their head coach leaves. There is also a five-day window for players to transfer after their team has finished postseason play. A 10-day transfer window will open on April 16th as well.