Former five-star WR Justin Shorter transfers to Florida from Penn State

Football

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Image Credit: Justin Shorter / Twitter

One of the top 10 prospects in the Class of 2018 will be making his way to Gainesville, Florida. Rising redshirt sophomore wide receiver Justin Shorter announced Sunday that he will transfer to the Florida Gators after two seasons with the Penn State Nittany Lions.

“Officially committed,” Shorter tweeted with three pictures of him in the all-white Florida uniform. He visited the Gators last weekend.

Shorter (6-foot-4, 235 pounds), a former five-star recruit and the No. 8 overall player in the Class of 2018, barely played in two seasons at Penn State, totaling 157 yards and no touchdowns on 15 catches in 10 games over two years.

Though his first season was ended after four games due to injury, Shorter was praised by his teammates during bowl practices and throughout the offseason program. He saw more action in 2019, his first full season, but was occasionally behind a walk-on when it came to the pregame depth charts. Inconsistency when given on-field opportunities and some reported struggles to drop weight appeared to contribute to his lack of role.

Shorter will not be eligible to play for the Gators until 2021 as he must sit out a year in residence, per NCAA rules. It is likely that Shorter will apply for a waiver to play immediately, but it is unknown whether it will be granted.

Shorter is the second five-star transfer that head coach Dan Mullen has added this offseason from the Class of 2018. Running back Lonrenzo Lingard announced earlier this month a transfer from Miami to Florida. The former No. 25 overall player in the nation, Lingard (6-foot, 200 pounds) similarly struggled with injuries through his first two years of college football.

Shorter is also the highest-rated prospect on the Gators’ roster since it signed five-stars Martez Ivey and CeCe Jefferson as part of the Class of 2015.