Stephen Alli, Kedric Johnson to graduate, leave Florida; Tommy Jordan placed on medical scholarship

Will Muschamp announced Friday that redshirt junior wide receiver Stephen Alli and redshirt junior defensive end Kedric Johnson will leave Florida after their graduations in April, and that sophomore Tommy Jordan will be shifted to medical scholarship.

Alli, a Canadian product recruited by Urban Meyer, played extensively on kick coverage under Muschamp, but never became the big target that he could have been in the passing game. Personally, he's one of my favorite Gators, and a fantastic follow on Twitter, and I wish him luck in his life after Florida: He's a smart guy, and likely to go to either the Canadian Football League or medical school, so his future is very bright.

Johnson, from Palmetto High, played in 25 games as a reserve defensive end in 2011 and 2010, but redshirted in 2009 as a freshman and would have likely taken a medical redshirt for 2012, which he missed entirely due to injury. Johnson recorded nine tackles and a sack in his playing career at Florida, but might end up somewhere else to play out his eligibility. I wish him luck in his life after Florida.

Jordan being shifted to medical scholarship frees up another space for a scholarship player on Florida's roster while maintaining Jordan's scholarship through the duration of his academic career. Medical scholarships are an oft-pilloried pillar of Nick Saban's approach to roster construction at Alabama, and it's somewhat worrisome that Muschamp has chosen to go this route with a Florida player.

However: Jordan had shoulder surgery and redshirted in 2011, and did not see game action in 2012 ... and he's a Connecticut kid in Florida, and likely knows full well that it's nicer to be warm than freezing. I doubt Muschamp had to do a lot of pressuring on Jordan: It's pretty easy to tell a player who was only going to be a reserve offensive lineman "Look, you're not going to play, in all likelihood, and we can get your education paid for anyway, so sign here." I wish Jordan the best of luck in his studies and hope he graduates with a degree from the University of Florida.

The departures of Alli, Johnson, and Jordan (fun fact: five players with surnames starting with J were Gators in 2012, but of them, only Hunter Joyer will be on Florida's roster in 2013) bring Florida's total of players leaving the roster after the 2012 season with eligibility remaining to 11. This is very possibly the end of Florida's attrition for the 2012-13 offseason, but it's freed up enough space for Florida to take more than 30 players in the class of 2013.