During the early part of National Signing Day, the Gators added four more outstanding defensive backs to their roster, expanding the pool of players in Florida’s secondary room.Thirteen days after logging onto the transfer page
on December 5th, the former Oregon Duck committed to the Gators. Trikweze Bridges finished his tenure in Eugene with 91 total tackles (54 solo), six interceptions, nine passes defended, and 2.5 tackles for loss. Bridges signed a safety commitment with Oregon but eventually switched to cornerback for the Ducks.
“Trikweze Bridges are produced in tons and with height, weight, and speed.” Regarding Bridges, Napier remarked, “The guy has played corner but has some position flexibility.” “He is capable of playing it cautiously. incredibly wise. served on Oregon’s Leadership Council. He just has one year left of eligibility, and given that he is from Lanett, Alabama, I believe he is trying to establish some additional value for himself a little bit closer to home. Extremely happy about his experience and the flexibility he provides.
As a three-star prospect and the 38th best safety in the nation in the Class of 2019, the native of Alabama received 22 offers. This is according to 247Sports. Teams like Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Ohio State were vying for the 6’3″, 200-pound safety, and LSU and Oregon were the last two teams in the running.
Davis, Josiah
The native of Georgia participated in multiple sports at Berrien High School and represented the Rebels on both sides of the football field. During his junior year, Josiah Davis was a complete player, accumulating 70 total tackles, one interception, and 895 rushing yards with 12 touchdowns on offense. With seven kickoffs returned for points throughout his special teams career, the 6’0, 182-pound athlete was also a serious threat.
The versatile playmaker played defensive back and wide receiver in his junior year at Cardinal Mooney High School. In addition, Teddy
A three-star prospect, he was ranked No. 60 in the nation and was considered by clubs like North Carolina, Oregon State, and Indiana. Foster did not make any official trips despite receiving offers from USC, Miami, and Tennessee as well. Foster made his initial commitment to the Gators on July 14 and hasn’t changed.
Smith, Gregory
On signing day, the underappreciated safety gave the Gators a significant commitment, making Smith their third safety in the 2024 class. Gregory Smith was a multi-sport athlete in high school who played football, basketball, and long and triple jump competitions. In his junior season, the 6’4”, 200-pound safety was mostly used as a quarterback, completing 60.9% of his passes for 1,423 yards and 14 touchdowns. Smith moved from quarterback to safety as a senior, finishing with 29 total tackles, 4 passes defensed, 1 fumble recovery, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 interception. According to MaxPreps, the Florida native completed 1633 passes for 1633 yards, 32 touchdowns, and four interceptions while playing quarterback.
Making the move to safety helped Smith, a three-star recruit with a ton of promise at his stature, move up the rankings. Athletes ranked No. 35 in the country received 26 offers in all, from schools including Florida State, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, and Louisville. Florida, Virginia, and Vanderbilt were the three main teams vying for Smith.
A safety room that consists mainly of Jordan Castell, R.J. Moten, Bryce Thornton, and Ahmad Covington will now include Bridges, Davis, and Smith.
Foster will join a group of cornerbacks that includes Jason Marshall, Aaron Gates, Dijon Johnson, Jaydon Hill (STAR), Ja’Keem Jackson, and Sharif Denson (STAR).
Foster was a multisport athlete who participated in football and basketball during his junior and senior years. Throughout his 11 games as a junior, the 6’0, 170-pound corner gained 38 total tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions, and one forced fumble. Foster has three touchdowns and 242 yards gained on 17 receptions on offense. Even more impressive were the 47 total tackles, 8 passes defended, 4 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and 1 sack that the Florida native recorded as a senior. Though he was originally signed as a cornerback, Foster amassed 433 yards and five receiving touchdowns.
