DB Jadarrius Perkins Leaves Florida, to Enter Transfer Portal

Florida senior defensive back Jadarrius Perkins intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal after making 23 appearances with the Gators.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida senior defensive back Jadarrius Perkins has left the program and intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal as a graduate student, he announced via social media on Thursday. 

Perkins graduated from UF with a bachelor’s degree in Education Sciences in August.  

“I want to appreciate Dan Mullen and Scott Stricklin for giving me the opportunity to be a Gator, something I'II remember and cherish forever,” Perkins wrote. “With that being said I have decided to enter my name in the Transfer Portal as a Graduate. A really unfortunate situation I love all of my teammates that has kept me up throughout everything. 

“Outside noise means zero only the people in this circle know the real and that's all that truly matters. Wishing my brothers luck in finishing this season you guys work so hard for it.”

Perkins, a native of Hattiesburg, Miss., originally transferred to Florida ahead of the 2021 season. Formerly a junior college player at Mississippi Gulf Coast, Perkins spent the spring of 2021 at Missouri before joining the Gators that summer. 

Perkins fought for the right to start at STAR nickel cornerback for Florida this offseason, competing with redshirt junior Jaydon Hill for the role. Following his transition to the slot from outside cornerback, however, Hill won the battle and took the field for 23 defensive snaps vs. Utah in Week 1.

Comparatively, Perkins received six snaps. He made one tackle in the game, bringing his two-plus-year Gators stat line to 40 tackles with three for loss, an interception and three pass breakups across 23 appearances.  

Although he did not directly reference a roster move, head coach Billy Napier suggested a potential shakeup in Florida's secondary during the weekly SEC coaches teleconference, stating that STAR corner Sharif Denson will be among the freshmen defensive backs who "will have more of a role this week" when the Gators host McNeese State on Saturday. 

Denson logged three special teams snaps against Utah and recorded the first solo tackle of his career in the contest. 

"I think we played 14 true freshmen in the game and then we had eight transfers that were first-time players for the University of Florida as well," Napier said. "22 guys who had never played at UF played in the game last week and I anticipate that number could increase this week.” 

This breaking story will be updated as new details emerge.  

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