Florida used the winter transfer portal to improve its roster for the second year in a row, signing a dozen collegiate football veterans to enhance the Gators’ squad heading into the 2024 summer. All Gators is projecting responsibilities for each player, starting with defensive back Trikweze Bridges. Bridges, a rising sixth-year senior, transferred to Florida from Oregon on December 18, 2023, to complete his last season of college eligibility with the Gators. He was a top target for UF in the portal, and he was among the first visitors the program hosted once the winter transfer window started in early December.
He provides UF with valuable expertise to use on the back end of their defense. Although his playing time decreased in 2023 compared to the previous year, Bridges recorded 1,190 defensive snaps over 17 starts and 47 total appearances with the Ducks.
According to Pro Football Focus, Bridges had 93 tackles with 2.5 for loss, four interceptions, 13 defended passes, and two forced fumbles at Oregon, while allowing a coverage completion percentage of 57% (57-of-100). However, despite having over 1,000 reps at outside cornerback, Bridges is likely to return to his native position of safety in the Gators’ secondary, where he starred for four varsity seasons in high school one state away from Florida. During his prep career at Lanett (Ala.) High, Bridges set and tied state records with 13 pick-sixes and 36 interceptions. In 2018, the Opelika-Auburn News honored him Alabama’s Defensive Player of the Year, citing his nine interceptions and 89 tackles.
“Height, weight, speed, and tons of production. The player has played cornerback but has some positional flexibility. “He can play safety,” Napier remarked of Bridges on December 20. “Very intelligent. I was on the leadership council at Oregon. He has one year of eligibility and is aiming to increase his worth closer to home, as he is from Lanett, Alabama. So I’m quite enthusiastic about the freedom he brings and the experience he has.” It will be integrated into a secondary that is undergoing considerable renovations this summer. Bridges was the first of four defensive back transfers signed by Florida since December, joining safeties DJ Douglas from Tulane and Asa Turner from Washington, as well as freshman cornerback Jameer Grimsley from Alabama.
They join three other 2024 signees: cornerback Teddy Foster Jr., safeties Josiah Davis and Gregory Smith III. Following a 60-tackle, Freshman All-American campaign in his 2023 orange and blue debut, rising sophomore Jordan Castell is expected to lock down one of Florida’s starting safety positions heading into the offseason. Who plays the role opposite Castell remains to be seen. Castell’s classmate, Bryce Thornton, had four starts and 12 appearances as a rookie and performed brilliantly, totaling 34 tackles and 3.5 for loss. He returns to the position alongside senior RJ Moten, who filled a depth role in 2023 after transferring from Michigan.
