Baylor DL transfer Samu Taumanupepe commits to Florida

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Baylor DL transfer Samu Taumanupepe has committed to Florida out of the NCAA transfer portal, On3 has learned. Taumanupepe also played at Texas A&M so far in his college career.

Florida was reportedly in contact with Taumanupepe since he entered the portal on Jan. 8. He visited campus, and his commitment came soon after.

“They saw my size, and I think that is really what caught their attention,” he told Gators Online. “So, they wanted to get me out there to visit so I can see them and spend time with them. They said they saw my film and said they need a big dude.”

He was a redshirt sophomore for Baylor during his lone season with the Bears in 2025. That means he’ll have two years of eligibility to play for the Gators. That came after spending his first two seasons of college football in the SEC at Texas A&M.

This past season, he appeared in six games for Baylor. During his time on the field, Taumanupepe made six tackles from the nose guard position. The 6-foot-3, 376-pounder has totaled eight tackles across nine appearances in his college career.

Taumanupepe is the 23rd player to commit to the Florida Gators ahead of the 2026 season. Florida currently has the No. 8 overall portal class as of this report, per On3’s 2026 team transfer portal rankings. The Gators have also lost 25 players to the portal, which isn’t surprising given the coaching turnover that took place to begin the offseason.

Jon Sumrall is taking over head coaching duties. He led Tulane to the College Football playoff in 2025 and is replacing Billy Napier, who has since taken the same job at James Madison.

Florida will certainly be one of the more followed teams throughout the portal process. Sumrall is looking to immediately find success after a few down years under Napier’s guidance. Doing so through the transfer portal has proven to be effective at other places, and Florida is hoping some of that success rubs off in Gainesville this offseason.

Everything will lead into the Sept. 5 opener against Florida Atlantic. So much will be different compared to this past year’s finale vs. Florida State. Fresh faces, from the roster to the coaching staff, will be running onto the field.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

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