Florida Gators Snatch Top TE from Georgia Tech in Shocking Transfer Portal Twist

Isn’t it something how a single official visit can flip the script for a college football player? Luke Harpring, the Georgia Tech tight end with three years of eligibility left, just made Gainesville his new home through the transfer portal—and suddenly, Florida’s offense looks a whole lot more intriguing. Standing 6-foot-3 and packing 240 pounds, Harpring’s not some rookie; his solid freshman season numbers and that reunion with former coach Buster Faulkner—freshly brought aboard by the Gators—add an extra layer of intrigue here. It’s almost like Florida is quietly orchestrating a full-scale offensive makeover, one Georgia Tech transfer at a time. Could this be the blueprint for a Gator resurgence we didn’t see coming? If you’re curious about the finer points of this transfer and how it might shake up the SEC landscape, you’ll want to dig deeper. LEARN MORE

Following an official visit to Gainesville on Friday, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets tight end Luke Harpring committed to Florida via the NCAA transfer portal, becoming the Gators’ 21st addition during the current portal cycle, which remains open through Jan. 16.

Harpring arrives at Florida after completing his redshirt freshman season at Georgia Tech and will have three years of eligibility remaining. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound tight end appeared in 13 games during the 2025 season, finishing with 13 receptions for 158 yards while averaging 12.2 yards per catch. Over two seasons with the Yellow Jackets, he garnered 16 catches on 21 targets for 201 yards, a career average of 12.6 yards per reception. He played 239 offensive snaps this past season and earned a 64.7 grade from Pro Football Focus.

A former four-star recruit in the 2024 class, Harpring was ranked as the No. 9 tight end nationally, the No. 21 overall recruit in Georgia, and the No. 173 player in the country by 247Sports coming out of Marist School in Atlanta. Rivals’ Industry Transfer Rankings currently list him as the No. 1,840 overall transfer prospect and the No. 102 tight end in the portal.

The move reunites Harpring with former Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, whom Florida hired last month. Faulkner played a significant role in recruiting Harpring out of high school and coached him during his time in Atlanta. Florida also added ex- Yellow Jackets inside wide receivers coach Trent McKnight to its staff. Additional staff connections include assistant offensive line coach Emil Ekiyor and assistant quarterbacks coach AJ Erdely, both of whom also made the transition from Georgia Tech to the Gators.

Harpring is the fourth Yellow Jackets offensive transfer to commit to Florida during this portal window, joining quarterback Aaron Philo, wide receiver Bailey Stockton, and interior offensive lineman Harrison Moore, who was Harpring’s roommate in Atlanta. Florida has also secured commitments from multiple other offensive contributors, including Auburn wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr., Cincinnati running back Evan Pryor, and ECU running back London Montgomery.

At Florida, Harpring joins a tight end group that includes returning players Tony Livingston, Amir Jackson, and Micah Jones, along with James Madison transfer Lacota Dippre. With Harpring on board, Florida’s transfer portal class now features players from Georgia Tech, Auburn, Baylor, Penn State, Stanford, Tulane, Kentucky, Wake Forest, Jacksonville State, and others.

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