Florida Football has taken a mostly slow and steady approach to the transfer portal. Entering the weekend, the Gators had added four players from the portal, the fourth-lowest amount in the SEC.
Make it five players as Florida has looked to address one position of need with a hard safety out of UAB.
Florida Football: Here comes the pain
We chronicled Adrian Maddox a couple of weeks ago when he popped up on the radar for the Gators. He spent two seasons with Alabama State before transferring to UAB for the 2024 season.
The metrics paint a picture that Maddox is a capable coverage safety who tends to play more as a nickel or STAR versus a free safety. In 2024, Maddox didn't give up a touchdown and had four pass breakups.
His missed tackle rate is a bit high at 17%, but what is intriguing about Maddox is that when he does actually tackle someone, he does so violently.
Maddox is unafraid of contact, and in this regard, he has some similarities to Trikweze Bridges with his willingness to come downhill to make a play.
Highlights of new Gators portal commit Adrian Maddox pic.twitter.com/XdU6U61kTX
— David Soderquist (@HightopDave) January 6, 2025
The Georgia native had taken visits to Georgia, Louisville, and Arkansas before landing with the Gators for 2025. He will have one season of eligibility left.
BREAKING: Former Alabama State & UAB Safety Adrian Maddox has Committed to Florida, he tells @on3sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 6, 2025
The 6’3 200 S has totaled 114 Tackles, 3 INT, 15 PD, 4 FF, & 3 Sacks in his college career thus far
1 year of eligibility remaining https://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/6dsbZB1gJK