Florida tailback Jordan Scarlett, the team's leading rusher in 2016, is among four suspended Gators reinstated by new coach Dan Mullen, a source confirmed.
Mullen inherited the fallout of a credit card scandal under former coach Jim McElwain that led to the suspension last August of nine Gators, including Scarlett and Antonio Callaway, the team's leading receiver in 2016.
Mullen and UF athletic director Scott Stricklin determined Scarlett, redshirt sophomore receiver Rick Wells, and redshirt freshman linebackers Ventrell Miller and James Houston had met the stipulations to allow their return.
"All of our players understand the standards and expectations we have of them to be members of the Florida football program," Mullen said in a statement from UF.
Callaway decided to leave early for the NFL, while defensive end Jordan Smith, offensive lineman Kadeem Telfort and defensive lineman Richerd Desir-Jones left UF.
Redshirt junior defensive end Keivonnis Davis, the ninth suspended player, remains enrolled in classes. But Davis' football career is in jeopardy following a scooter accident last fall causing serious injury.
Scarlett's return should have the most immediate impact during Mullen's first season at UF. Scarlett rushed for 889 yards and six touchdowns on 179 carries in 2016.
But freshman Malik Davis and sophomore Lamical Perine filled the void last season. In fact, Davis showed big-play ability Scarlett rarely had during his first two seasons until Davis suffered a knee injury Oct. 28 against Georgia.
Miller and Houston should add needed depth at linebacker, while Wells has not played at UF.
Each of the nine suspended Gators were charged with using stolen credit card numbers last summer to pay for items including laptop computers, iPads, Beats headphones and takeout food orders.
An employee at the UF bookstore noticed players had transferred large amounts of money into their accounts and notified authorities.
McElwain suspended the players in August, beginning the collapse during his third and final season at UF _ a 4-7 campaign for the Gators.
State Attorney Bill Cervone offered pre-trial intervention to seven players _ but not Smith and Telfort _ that would lead to the dismissal of third-degree felony credit card fraud charges for each. Each of the seven made a single charge ranging from $550 to nearly $2,000.
Meanwhile, Smith and Telfort used the stolen cards extensively. Charges against the two still are pending, Cervone said.
