If things had worked out the way he originally planned, Dee Finley would have a national championship ring right now.

But the highly-recruited safety from Auburn, Ala., wasn't able to become academically eligible last season, so he spent the past year at Milford Academy prep school in New York.

On Wednesday, he walked onto the Florida practice field for the first time and felt both gratitude and relief. to finally be a part o the Gators' team.

"It’s a dream come true,'' he said. "I’m just happy to finally be here.''

Finley said he kept in constant contact with several Florida players, including Will Hill and Janoris Jenkins - who were members of his recruiting class. As for his commitment to the Gators? It never wavered.

 "I was 100 percent the whole time,'' Finley said.

Although he regrets not being part of the team last season, Finley said it was probably for the best.

"It helped me a lot academically,'' he said. "It helped me get my grades right and helped me learn responsibility. It was real tough. It was cold, just the whole deal. Academics was tough, everything was tough. It was one of the toughest things, but actually it was also a lot of motivation, To see how good these guys (other Florida safeties) were that I was coming to, it was a lot of motivation.''