Florida redshirt freshman safety Gregory Smith III has officially entered the NCAA transfer portal after negotiations with the program fell through, as first reported by Swamp247.
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The move comes after Smith and Florida couldn’t reach an agreement on terms for his return, despite ongoing discussions since his initial transfer announcement on April 9.
The 6-foot-3.25, 211-pound defensive back appeared in five games during his freshman campaign, recording five tackles and one pass breakup. His most notable performance came against Florida State in the regular season finale, where he logged three tackles over 49 defensive snaps in a convincing 31-11 Florida victory.
Prior to his departure, Smith had been making significant strides this spring, particularly with junior starting safety Bryce Thornton sidelined due to an ankle injury. The coaching staff had elevated Smith to the first-team lineup alongside Jordan Castell.
Thornton, who worked closely with Smith during spring practice, noted his development: “I’ve actually seen a lot of growth from Greg, especially not playing as much in his freshman year as he probably wanted to. But this year, he’s taken a step. He’s out there making calls for everybody. So I’m really proud of him for what he’s done and showed the maturity to be a better player”.
Smith’s departure marks Florida’s first scholarship portal exit following spring camp. The former four-star recruit from Sumner High School initially chose the Gators over 25 other scholarship offers, including Ole Miss, Toledo, Vanderbilt, Virginia, and USF.
What makes Smith’s transfer particularly interesting is his unique background. UF general manager Jacob LaFrance had previously highlighted Smith’s potential, noting: “Greg Smith is a guy who’s been in his first year playing DB. He was a quarterback most of his career… When you piece all that together, quarterback background, the athletic ability and traits to go along with the film for only playing safety for one year at a position where we were looking to add players, we are really excited about what he can be”.
While rumors have circulated about a potential reunion with former UF secondary coach Will Harris at Miami, Smith’s destination remains unclear.
Following Smith’s departure, Florida’s safety room now consists of juniors Castell and Thornton, true freshmen Drake Stubbs and Lagonza Hayward, and redshirt freshman Josiah Davis.
While Smith’s departure represents one of the few players unable to reach terms with the program, head coach Billy Napier expressed confidence in the team’s overall roster retention after the Orange and Blue Game: “We’ve reached agreements with 98% of the team… Right now we’re in the position where we don’t have to worry about the portal”.
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