Good luck, Xzavier Henderson. (Photo via Florida Gators)
According to sources of 247Sports, Florida wide receiver Xzavier Henderson is entering the NCAA transfer portal. The move comes nine days after the conclusion of spring practice, in which Henderson was said to have been highly productive.
Without Henderson, Florida’s receiver room takes yet another hit. The Gators do return standout veteran Ricky Pearsall, and true freshmen Andy Jean, Eugene Wilson III, and Aidan Mizell figure to make an instant impact. But now without Justin Shorter, Henderson, and Daejon Reynolds, the Gators lose three of their four most productive receivers from 2022.
Henderson led the Gators with 38 receptions in 2022. He finished third among all pass-catchers with 410 receiving yards.
The announcement is somewhat surprising because of its timing.
Henderson was generally considered to be one of the big winners from spring ball, particularly among wide receivers. A former top-100 prospect out of high school, Henderson- the brother of former Florida corner CJ Henderson- came to Gainesville with a large amount of hype, and had a decent freshman season in 2020 but did little to justify the hype after that. With reports swirling that he was turning so many heads in spring practices- including one scrimmage in which he had three touchdowns- it was common to assume that he might finally be poised for a big 2023 season.
But now that’s not going to come to pass, obviously, and it dents the Gators’ depth at wide receiver even further. Without Xzavier Henderson at the X position, Florida will rely more on Andy Jean and sophomore Caleb Douglas- who were always going to play anyway, but will now be featured even more.
Best of luck to Henderson as he looks for the best fit for him to finish his college career.
