The NCAA has granted waivers to Florida wide receivers Van Jefferson and Trevon Grimes to play immediately in 2018, the school announced Thursday. As undergraduates, the pair had been waiting on the NCAA to rule on their eligibility since moving to the program this offseason.
"I'm excited for Trevon and Van," coach Dan Mullen said in a statement. "We appreciate the NCAA's understanding in both situations, and are thankful to the [University Athletic Association's] administration and compliance staff for their role in helping guide Trevon, Van, their families and our coaching staff through this over the past six-plus months."
Jefferson caught 42 passes for 456 yards and a score in 2017 at Ole Miss. He left the Rebels this offseason and had been waiting to receive his waiver to play immediately, which the NCAA had already granted to Shea Patterson (Michigan), Deontay Anderson (Houston) and other undergraduates who left the Ole Miss following the NCAA sanctions that were levied on the program in 2017. He will be a redshirt junior in 2018 with two years of eligibility remaining.
The SEC lifted its ban on intraconference undergraduate transfers at spring meetings in June but still needs to approve of the move, which appears to be a formality at this point.
Grimes caught three passes for 20 yards as a freshman for the Buckeyes in 2017. He transferred and applied for a hardship waiver to deal with what coach Urban Meyer called "family health issues."
The two will join a receiving corps that includes established weapons Tyrie Cleveland, Josh Hammond, Freddie Swain, Kadarius Toney and others. With Jefferson and Grimes in the mix, a deep running back group and a veteran offensive line, suddenly the prospect of the Gators offense making an immediate turnaround looks better heading into Mullen's first year at the helm. That is, of course, as long as a quarterback emerges.
Florida opens the 2018 season at home on Sept. 1 against Charleston Southern.
