Greg Smith Plans to Leave UNC, Enter Transfer Portal

North Carolina redshirt freshman defensive back Greg Smith plans to transfer, as was first reported by On3, meaning UNC will be without another one of its main contributors in the secondary from this past season.

North Carolina graduated four defensive backs — Thaddeus Dixon, Marcus Allen, Gavin Gibson, and Will Hardy — who started most of the season. With the loss of Smith, the Tar Heels will return three defensive backs that played at least 200 snaps last season — Kaleb Cost, Jaiden Patterson, and Coleman Bryson.

UNC has thus far signed one defensive back out of the transfer portal, Michigan State’s Ade Willie. UNC also enrolled earlier this month the nation’s No. 12 safety Jakob Weatherspoon and the No. 20 cornerback Kenton Dopson out of the high school ranks.

After working his way into the rotation, Smith became a regular contributor in the secondary in 2025, playing 33 or more snaps in each of the final five games. He finished the season with 24 tackles and an interception, which he made late in UNC’s win at Charlotte. Smith did not do any interviews during his year in Chapel Hill.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound defensive back came to UNC last offseason after a redshirt year at Florida in which he played in five games and recorded five tackles.

As a member of the Class of 2024, Smith was a four-star recruit out of Riverview (Fla.) Sumner, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He was the No. 31 overall prospect in the state, the No. 18 safety in the class and the No. 261 overall prospect in the class.

The transfer portal, which opened on Jan. 2, closes to college football players on Jan. 16.