Florida adds Maryland transfer OT Max Garcia

By Adam Silverstein
April 21, 2012

Sophomore offensive tackle Max Garcia told Rivals.com‘s Ryan Bartow on Saturday that he has decided to transfer to the Florida Gators ending weeks of speculation about where he would play his final two seasons of college football.

“Once a Terp always a Terp, but it is a great day to be a Florida Gator!! #GatorNation,” he wrote on Twitter later in the day.

Garcia, the Norcross, GA product and 2010 three-star recruit who decided to leave the Maryland Terrapins in order to play closer to home, chose Florida over Georgia and USC. He had called UGA his leader one month ago.

Despite his age, Garcia has plenty of on-field experience after starting all 12 games for Maryland in 2011 and drawing positive reviews while doing so. He will be forced to sit out the 2012 season per NCAA rules but will retain two years of eligibility beginning in 2013.

Garcia is the second offensive line transfer that the Gators have received in as many years after the team picked up center/guard Dan Wenger from Notre Dame last season.

Photo Credit: Associated Press

7 Comments

  1. dp says:

    Nice…we need as much beef up front as possible. He’s blocked for some pretty decent backs. And I like the experience…even though he was in a garbage conference.

  2. Courtney says:

    Welcome aboard…can never have to much line depth. With nixon and patchan soon to be gone welcome aboard. Looks like green, hump, and kohne will be pushed a little harder

  3. Matt says:

    So if he sits out a year does he take up a scholarship this year or next? I know there are two or three more high rated guys we are trying to get in the fold so so do you think this will this push Tunsil or others away? We already have 3 OL guys committed right? I know I know true competiors would come anyway…yada yada but 98% of guys give the depth chart serious consideration. Also in ref to Courtney’s comment I think Nixon is a true SR this year but Patchan is a RS JR if I am not mistaken….

  4. RickySlade says:

    Matt, I don’t think Garcia’s presence will affect Tunsil’s decision–he’ll be a junior when/if Tunsil gets here. If he’s going to be worried about anyone, it’d be Humphries…players of Tunsil’s caliber usually don’t shy away from competition, though. Regarding the scholarship numbers, since Maryland gave Garcia his release, he’ll be on scholarship this year and will count toward the limit.

  5. Mr2Bits says:

    Huge huge get….really stoked about landing him.

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