Former Georgia Safety Transfers to Kansas State

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Coach Klein and the Wildcats remain active in the transfer portal, adding new talent to the team and preparing for his first season as head coach. The Wildcats are eager to fill holes in their roster after suffering many losses in the portal following a subpar 6-6 season in 2025.

Kansas State's defensive back room took a hit, with key contributors transferring, including safeties Qua Moss, Daniel Cobbs, and Colby McCalister. The Wildcats looked to address this need through the transfer portal, earning a commitment from former Georgia safety Adrian Maddox. Maddox is the Wildcats' 18th commit of the 2026 transfer portal class, and their 2nd safety commit following the commitment of former Miami of Ohio Redhawk Koy Beasley.

Maddox's commitment is a major victory for the Wildcats, addressing a pressing need at defensive back and adding much-needed experience in the Wildcats' secondary.

Adrian Maddox Commits to the Wildcats

On Monday, January 12th, Peter Nako of ON3 reported via X that former Georgia safety Adrian Maddox had signed with Kansas State.

After a season at Georgia, where he didn't see much playing time, Maddox was ranked as the 431st player in the portal and the 39th safety per ON3. Maddox's commitment came as a surprise to many, as the 6-foot-1, 200-pound safety from Conyers, Georgia, had not been linked to any potential teams before ultimately deciding to commit to the Wildcats.

BREAKING: Georgia transfer safety Adrian Maddox has signed with Kansas State, @PeteNakos reports🟣⚪️https://t.co/kSYG7dZ8sR pic.twitter.com/auwItfxhcX
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) January 12, 2026

Maddox attended Heritage High School in Conyers, Georgia, where he played on both sides of the ball, excelling on defense as the team's starting free safety. Maddox was ranked as a zero-star recruit coming out of High School, but earned an offer from Alabama State on January 22nd, 2022, before enrolling on February 2nd.

Maddox made an immediate impact at Alabama State, recording 8 tackles and one interception in his first collegiate game. Maddox's success continued through his freshman season, where he finished with 32 tackles, 2 pass deflections, 2 interceptions, and a sack. Maddox's impressive freshman season did not go without recognition, being named a 2022 Jerry Rice Award Finalist and an All-SWAC nominee.

Maddox returned to Alabama State for the 2023 season, where he would put up another impressive stat line, totaling 38 tackles, 6 pass deflections, 2 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. Following his sophomore season, Maddox entered his name in the transfer portal, committing to Temple on December 20th, 2023. On February 8th, 2024, Maddox flipped his commitment and signed with the UAB Blazers for the 2024 season.

Maddox had the best year of his career in 2024, recording 44 tackles, 7 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles, and an interception returned 99 yards for a touchdown. Following his impressive junior season, Maddox entered the transfer portal, where he was ranked as the 12th-best safety in the class by ON3. Maddox would commit to Florida on January 5th, 2025, before ultimately flipping his commitment to the University of Georgia on January 7th.

Maddox saw limited snaps for Georgia in 2025, playing in 4 games where he totaled 4 tackles and one tackle for loss in a mostly special teams role. Maddox entered the transfer portal on January 8th, 2026, before ultimately transferring to Kansas State on January 12th, where he will have one year of eligibility remaining.

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