Florida early enrollee Chris Steele has entered the NCAA transfer portal, according to a report from The Sun (Gainesville, Fla.).
Steele — the No. 5 cornerback in the class of 2019 and No. 42 overall recruit according to 247Sports Composite — reportedly informed Gators coach Dan Mullen of his decision Wednesday night. His decision reportedly stemmed from an issue he had with roommate Jalon Jones, a four-star quarterback in the same class from Richmond, Va.
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According to The Sun, Steele, in his first month on campus, made a request to the football staff to be moved to a different dormitory from Jones, with whom he was uncomfortable sharing a room. The staff did not plan to move Steele until the summer, upsetting Steele and his parents.
Jones in April was accused of sexual battery by two different women in two different incidents a half-hour apart, according to The Tampa Times. That ultimately led to Steele's decision to transfer, according to The Sun. Jones has not been charged but is no longer at the school.
Steele, the Gators' highest-ranked recruit who helped them to the No. 9 overall class in 2019, will now seek a new program to play for. The Bellflower, Calif., native chose Florida over USC, LSU and Oklahoma at the time of his commitment.
