DE Adam Shuler joins Florida as graduate transfer

The West Virginia Mountaineers stand to be one of college football’s better teams in 2018, largely thanks to the presence of former Florida Gators quarterback Will Grier at the helm of Dana Holgorsen’s offense. Now, finally, almost three years after Grier’s transfer to Florida, the Gators are getting a player to be named later in exchange from the Mountaineers.

Defensive end Adam Shuler will transfer to Florida as a graduate transfer, he confirmed on Twitter on Monday.

Shuler played often and admirably — if not spectacularly — for the Mountaineers over the last two seasons, recording a total of 71 tackles as a freshman and sophomore and eight tackles for loss a season ago. His three sacks in 2017 also tripled his total from 2016.

It’s a stretch to call the former three-star prospect elite, but Shuler should provide depth at defensive end, where Florida is thin on proven contributors.

It’s also possible that adding Shuler means that players who would have otherwise had to cross-train at a defensive end position in Todd Grantham’s 3-4 defense can move fully to a rush linebacker spot — like, say, Cece Jefferson, whose underwhelming Florida career to date could get a shot in the arm if he takes to rushing off the edge like many think he will.

Shuler also has two years of eligibility left, not one, after redshirting in 2015 and playing the last two years. And getting his college degree in the span of three years likely speaks to the sort of commitment Shuler can bring to bear when properly motivated.