Gators Targeting Miami Transfer after Portal Departure

The Florida Gators appear ready to make a move after parting ways with safety Gregory Smith III, who will officially enter the transfer portal after flirting with returning to the team.

On3’s Keith Niebuhr reported via X on Friday that the Gators were going to receive a visit within the next week from former Miami safety Zaquan Patterson. 

Patterson (6-foot-0, 195 pounds) entered the portal back on April 14th after just one season with the Hurricanes. As a true freshman, he played in all 13 games and recorded 19 total tackles and three pass break-ups. 

The Hollywood, Fla., native currently ranks as the No. 404 overall transfer and No. 18 safety, according to 247Sports transfer rankings. However, coming out of high school, he ranked as the No. 63 overall prospect, No. 4 safety and No. 10 prospect in the state of Florida, according to 247Sports. 

As for why Patterson is leaving the program and entering the portal, he said it was just a matter of wrong timing. 

“It was just not the right place, right time,” he told CaneSport. “It has nothing to do with the program. Mario Cristobal and everyone in that facility are great people.”

This won’t be an easy recruitment to win for Gators head coach Billy Napier as there will be a long list of suitors wanting to acquire his services for next season. 

Although it will be important that the Gators do land a backup safety for next season unless they are comfortable going into the 2025 season with a pair of freshmen in Drake Stubbs and Lagonza Hayward vying for the No. 2 spots behind Jordan Castell and Bryce Thornton.

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