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5-star freshman RB Demarkcus Bowman transfers from Clemson to Florida

UPDATED 1 p.m. ET Oct. 3

Bowman is heading to Florida. The Lakeland, Florida, native is transferring to the Gators.

Bowman told Rivals’ Gators Territory that he was going to sign with Dan Mullen’s team. Florida was one of the teams that just missed out on signing Bowman in the class of 2020.

Bowman should be able to redshirt in 2020 thanks to NCAA rules and compete in 2021 as a redshirt freshman.

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Freshman running back Demarkcus Bowman is transferring away from Clemson.

Per multiple reports, including Rivals’ TigerIllustrated.com, Bowman has put his name in the transfer portal after just two games with the Tigers. Bowman was the No. 2 running back in the class of 2020 and the No. 3 recruit in the state of Florida when he signed with the Tigers.

Bowman has nine carries for 32 yards in two games. That’s the third-most carries on the team behind Travis Etienne and Darien Rencher. But it’s also worth noting that 12 players have notched carries as Clemson has easily beaten Wake Forest and The Citadel so far this season.

The Florida native was the No. 26 player overall in the class of 2020 and part of a 23-person Clemson class that ranked No. 2 in the nation. Per Tiger Illustrated’s Larry Williams, Bowman showed flashes of promise in fall camp but was also not at the top of the depth chart because Etienne made the decision to stay for his senior season in 2020. Most outside observers widely assumed that Etienne’s final season would be in 2019 before he headed to the NFL.

At most places Bowman wouldn’t have to sit in the back of such a long line to get on the field. Clemson is not only stacked with experienced running backs, but even a fellow freshman (Kobe Pace) was quicker at learning the system.

That's not to say Bowman didn’t flash; he most certainly did, both during summer workouts and August camp. He was even close to breaking at least one long run in the opener at Wake Forest.

It was so easy to see Bowman as the next big running back star in the post-Etienne era, a playmaker who could do remarkable things with the ball in his hands.

Pace has seven carries for 24 yards in 2020.

While Etienne will be gone in 2021, Clemson already has two four-star running backs committed in its class of 2021. Georgia native Phil Mafah and North Carolina native Will Shipley are both verbally committed to the Tigers.

Clemson plays Virginia on Saturday night before a home game against No. 8 Miami.

A Clemson helmet on the TV set before the CFP National Championship.
Clemson had the No. 2 recruiting class in 2020. (Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.

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