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Florida’s defensive back depth for the 2025 season suffered a loss on Wednesday night when redshirt freshman safety Gregory Smith III told On3 that he’s planning to enter the transfer portal.
Smith reportedly leaving for greener pastures this fall is Florida’s first spring departure via the transfer portal. The 6-foot-4, 217-pound defensive back and former 4-star recruit will have 4 years of college eligibility left starting this fall at whatever program he opts to continue his career. According to On3, Smith had a whopping 28 offers coming out of Sumner High School in Riverview, Fla.
Smith will enter the portal when it opens on April 16, according to On3. He leaves Gainesville with still those 4 years of eligibility remaining after appearing in 5 games in 2024, including the Gators’ bowl game against Tulane. Smith had 5 tackles and 1 pass breakup in those 5 games in what will apparently be his 1 and only season at UF.
The 247Sports Composite rankings had Smith as the 545th-ranked overall prospect in the 2024 recruiting class and the 12th-ranked athlete prospect when he was being recruited by Florida and many other suitors.
Among all those other schools vying for Smith’s services in his original recruitment were Ole Miss, Virginia, Vanderbilt, Toledo, and South Florida.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
