Florida continues to reshape its special teams unit through the transfer portal, landing a commitment from former Washington long snapper Hunter Solwold. The Maryland native announced his decision on social media, becoming the latest addition to a Gators roster that’s undergone a major overhaul this offseason.
Solwold, a redshirt freshman, arrived at Washington as one of the top long snappers in the 2025 class. Rated a five-star by Kohl’s Kicking Camps and ranked No. 5 nationally at his position by 247Sports, he brought serious pedigree to the Huskies. Though he appeared in just one game during his freshman year and preserved a redshirt, Solwold’s upside remains clear.
The long-snapping bloodline runs deep in the Solwold family. His father, Mike Solwold, played the position at Wisconsin before spending five seasons in the NFL, suiting up for four teams and winning a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hunter also showcased versatility in high school, doubling as a tight end and putting up 511 yards and 11 touchdowns on 33 receptions during his senior season.
Solwold becomes the second long snapper to transfer into Florida this offseason, joining Carter Milliron from Louisiana. Milliron brings more in-game experience to the table.
A senior in 2025, he’s played in 30 career games, taking over as the Ragin’ Cajuns’ primary long snapper as a freshman in 2022 and holding that role through 2024. He redshirted this past season after appearing in just four games, and he’ll have one year of eligibility remaining in Gainesville.
The moves come as part of a broader rebuild for Florida’s special teams. The Gators lost six specialists this offseason, including three starters - kicker Trey Smack, punter Tommy Doman, and long snapper Rocco Underwood - who all exhausted their eligibility and are now chasing pro opportunities. Meanwhile, their expected successors - kicker Evan Noel, punter Hayden Craig, and long snapper Mack Mulhern - each entered the transfer portal this month, leaving Florida with major holes to fill.
In response, the Gators have been aggressive in the portal, adding not only Solwold and Milliron but also former Tulane kicker Patrick Durkin, Tulane punter Alec Clark, and Southwestern Oklahoma State punter Miller Fealy. It’s a full-scale special teams reboot - and a necessary one.
New head coach Jon Sumrall, introduced on December 1, has been candid about his approach to roster building. During his introductory press conference, he acknowledged that while he’d prefer to retain and develop talent over time, the realities of modern college football - particularly the prevalence of player movement - have forced him to lean into the portal more than he might like.
“We will use the transfer portal,” Sumrall said. “If you've studied my rosters the last couple years, I haven't had the resources to keep very many of my good players.
They all end up getting poached. So I've had to embrace the transfer portal probably more than most, maybe even more than I'd like to at times, by necessity.
“But we will use the portal to enhance our team and to supplement where there may be holes or deficiencies. We're going to run a player-driven program.
My job as the head football coach here is to serve and to develop the players. It's not to be served, it's to serve.”
For Florida, that philosophy is already taking shape. With a new coaching staff, a wave of outgoing players, and a transfer portal that never sleeps, the Gators are piecing together a new-look roster - one long snapper at a time.