Tag: Will Griffin

Florida’s 2026 blue-chip QB commit impresses in Under Armour game

Looking at 2026 4-star QB commit Will Griffin’s Under Armour game performance, as well as his connection with the Gators and future teammates.

The annual 2025 Under Armour All-American Game took place on Thursday in Deland, where six future Florida football players competed in one of the nation’s premiere high school all-star events. Among those competing was four-star quarterback commit [autotag]Will Griffin[/autotag], who made his mark in limited action.

The junior out of Tampa (Florida) Jesuit in the 2026 cycle finished 11-for-22 passing for 82 yards in the game. Griffin got into the action after Alabama Crimson Tide commit Keelon Russell suffered an injury in the second half, helping Team Icon defeat Team Unstoppable, 31-19.

“Playing QB in an all-star game with only limited practice windows isn’t easy. But Griffin, one of the juniors chosen to play in this event, did some good things,” Gators Online’s Keith Niebuhr begins in his game summary.

“For one thing, he was patient in the pocket for the most part despite not always having time to throw and made a few nice passes downfield — one to (Gators wide receiver signee Vernell) Brown. Often, he smartly threw to the shorter routes.

“He took a lot of hits but to his credit didn’t get rattled. Griffin’s throws generally lacked the velocity you saw from five-star Alabama signee Keelon Russell, so that’s a good measuring stick for him and something he can work on moving forward,” he concludes.

Griffin’s commitment to Florida

The blue-chip passer gave his word to the Orange and Blue last June and it appears that he is all in at the University of Florida.

“I just love Coach Napier and Coach O’Hara,” Griffin told Swamp247. “It’s always been a dream school of mine. A lot of my family members went there, I’ve been to numerous, numerous games, and I just love the atmosphere. I love the Swamp — especially for a night game. Love the fans. I really love (the staff) and they really love me. So it’s perfect. I’m a Gator and that’s how it’s going to be.”

Griffin is particularly enamored with Florida’s current skipper, who has seen some tough times on the field and in the media during his tenure with the team, but still manages to show up for his players and recruits.

“Coach Napier is awesome. He pours everything he possibly can into those guys. They all believed in him from the beginning. I did when I committed, I said this is where I want to be, I believe in you.

“Like I said, there’s going to be up and downs in every season, every team, I don’t care who you are. Especially in the SEC. We finished out strong, that’s what matters, and everyone still believes in him.”

Taking on leadership role with Gators

Ahead of his final season at the prep level, he has accrued 9,765 yards through the air and 106 passing touchdowns over the course of his high school career. With great performance comes great responsibility.

“I’ve always been the guy where, I’m young, and I’m the quarterback. I’ve always had people tell me, even though you’re young, you have to step up and be a leader this year,” Griffin told Swamp247. “I really have to fulfill that role now, especially being a senior (this fall).

“So I think the biggest thing for guys in high school is the brotherhood and the leadership. So I need to up my leadership standpoint on the field and off the field. Those things matter, like body language. All of those things are contagious. If guys see someone doing the little things right, and then the big things right, that’s someone they want to follow. You have to set an example.”

Griffin to Brown connection

Speaking of [autotag]Vernell Brown III[/autotag], Florida’s incoming four-star legacy wide receiver, the two have a connection that stretches back to middle school and continues into this year’s Under Armour game — and hopefully into the future as well.

“When Will committed, I looked at his film, and he’s a pretty good player,” Brown III told Swamp247. “I actually knew Will when I was younger in middle school. He was my quarterback for a very short period of time.

“Will’s a good player, and I’m excited to have him. I haven’t looked much into the 2026 class, obviously because I am trying to get (to Gainesville) and get situated. Definitely know Will, definitely saw his film, and know he’s a good player.”

Recruiting Summary

Griffin is ranked No. 151 overall and No. 11 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 142 and 11, respectively.

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Two Gators commits ranked inside ESPN Junior 300

Florida has two of the top 300 recruits from the class of 2026 under commitment, according to ESPN’s latest update to the Junior 300.

A pair of Florida Gators commits — Jesuit (Tampa) quarterback [autotag]Will Griffin[/autotag] and Armwood (Seffner) cornerback [autotag]Jaelen Waters[/autotag] — are ranked inside the ESPN Junior 300 following a recent fall update.

Griffin is the higher-ranked of the two at No. 58 nationally with a scout grade of 83 (four stars). He is also ranked sixth among pocket passers from the class of 2026, 12th in the state of Florida and 34th in the Southeast region.

“Griffin will bring many of the same traits to Florida’s scheme that Graham Mertz provided over the last two years,” ESPN Analyst Tom Luginbill wrote. “We’ve seen that the Gators’ scheme is adaptable to athleticism based on how they’ve used DJ Lagway, so Griffin doesn’t have to be a dynamic runner in this offense. Griffin is a strong-armed, deep-ball passer and Florida loves to push the ball vertically off play-action.”

Waters is ranked No. 222 in the class of 2026 with an 80 scout grade, which is good for a four-star rating. ESPN has him at No. 21 among cornerbacks, No. 38 in Florida and No. 116 in the Southeast.

Florida has held Waters’ commitment since June, but in-state rival Miami is pushing strongly for him. Waters has already attended three Hurricanes games this season and has a history of flipping — the Gators flipped him from Florida State over the summer.

“Florida, that’s still my school,” Waters recently told Gaby Urrutia of 247Sports. “I still represent that school 100 percent, but other schools are impacting my recruitment. I love Florida. I love the city. That’s my school. My parents love it.”

Florida only has one more player under commitment from the class of 2026, three-star safety Devin Jackson out of First Academy in Windermere. ESPN has not formally ranked Jackson just yet.

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Gators crack top 10 in ESPN’s 2026 college football recruiting rankings

There are a lot of familiar names on ESPN’s top 2026 recruiting classes, with the Florida Gators sneaking into the top 10.

The focus of late has been college football’s 2025 recruiting class, which wrapped up its summer official visit schedule last month. Now, they are preparing for the upcoming fall, when those who have not made their commitment yet will make a few more OVs ahead of their final decision.

But beyond that cohort is the 2026 class, which is slowly growing in the background as rising high school juniors begin to make their verbal pledges. One of the programs that have had a hot start to the cycle is the Florida Gators, who rank No. 10 in ESPN’s recent top recruiting class rankings.

“Coming off the key signing of five-star quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] this past cycle, the Gators don’t currently have a passing prospect in their 2025 class but have struck early in the 2026 cycle by landing ESPN Junior 300 QB [autotag]Will Griffin[/autotag]. A passer with a sturdy build and big hands, he has a strong arm and can drive the ball downfield and into tight windows.

“On defense, rangy cornerback prospect [autotag]Jaelen Waters[/autotag] was a one-time commit to in-state rival Florida State.”

Other notable teams in ESPN’s top 10

Speaking of FSU, the Seminoles are the top-ranked program in Haubert’s rankings, followed by newly-added Southeastern Conference foe, the Oklahoma Sooners. The Texas Longhorns, another recent addition to the SEC, rounds out the top five.

The Miami Hurricanes, LSU Tigers and Mississippi State Bulldogs are ranked seventh through ninth, respectively, and are all on Florida’s fall schedule.

Florida’s 2024 season opener

The Florida and the Miami Hurricanes open their schedule on Aug. 31 in Gainesville, Florida. Kickoff time is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ABC Sports.

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Class of 2026 QB commit Will Griffin recruiting receivers to UF

Quarterbacks are often the first to commit in a recruiting class, which leads to some peer recruiting over the summer and high school seasons.

Committing a year early isn’t too common in college football these days, but it usually means a player is willing to be the face of a recruiting class. That’s the role Jesuit (Tampa) quarterback [autotag]Will Griffin[/autotag] will play for Florida’s class of 2026, according to Gators Online.

“I recruit all the time,” Griffin said at the Future 50 Media Day. “That was another big thing when I committed early. I knew the responsibility I had of recruiting my class and the 2025 class. I’m pitching in here and there with the class above me, but why not? Those will be guys I will be playing with too.”

Like any good quarterback, Griffin’s primary focus is bringing in guys that can catch the ball. Griffin is in touch with some of Florida’s top targets, including class of 2025 five-stars [autotag]Vernell Brown III[/autotag] and [autotag]Caleb Cunningham[/autotag].

Recruiting Summary

Griffin is one of the top quarterbacks in the class of 2026. He is ranked No. 117 overall and No. 11 at his position, according to the On3 industry ranking. The 247Sports composite has him slightly higher at Nos. 102 and 9, respectively.

After fielding offers from several Power Four programs, Griffin picked Florida — the program he’s loved his whole life — on June 1. Florida was equally high on Griffin. Several reports name him as the Gators’ top quarterback target in the class.

He’s already spent time shadowing freshman DJ Lagway and learning at OTAs. His next visit should come at the end of the month for the Grill in the ‘Ville cookout, and then he’ll be back for the season opener against Miami.

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Florida lands commitment from 2026 four-star quarterback

Florida earns first commitment of the 2026 class.

The Florida Gators received some good news on the recruiting front when in-state product Will Griffin announced his commitment to Billy Napier and the staff.

Griffin is rated as a four-star quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class and No. 89 overall according to the 247Sports composite rankings. He is also among the top 10 quarterbacks coming in at No. 7.

The Gators haven’t seen stud prospect D.J. Lagway on the field yet but Griffin looks like he could add to a stocked quarterback room. The 6’3″ quarterback recently completed unofficial visits with the Texas Longhorns and Utah Utes, but apparently it wasn’t enough to sway Griffin from leaving the Sunshine State.

Griffin is the first commitment to the 2026 recruiting class and now Napier can start building around the class with his quarterback of the future committed.

The newest Gator has shown the ability to stand in the pocket and deliver the football despite chaos around him. He shows a good touch on the ball but knows when to rip it down the field.

Check out Gators Wire for more on Florida. 

Gators land commitment from 4-star 2026 quarterback recruit

Billy Napier and Co. landed their first commitment for the 2026 class on Saturday with a 4-star QB recruit.

Florida football was trending strongly for four-star quarterback [autotag]Will Griffin[/autotag] out of Tampa (Florida) Jesuit this week coming into his unofficial visit in Gainesville, receiving a crystal ball prediction from 247Sports.

On Saturday, news broke that he committed to the Gators marking the first verbal pledge to the program in the 2026 cycle. The 6-foot-2.5-inch, 225-pound passer apparently has orange and blue coursing through his veins and is already prepared to follow his paternal family’s footsteps at the university.

“I grew up going to a whole bunch of games as a Gator,” Griffin told Gators Online in 2023. “I was a huge fan. Pretty much (my father’s) whole side of the family went there. It’s great to have that hospitality there — and the offer.”

He also added, “I can see myself throwing those touchdowns and being a part of the Gators.”

Griffin posted a 67.6 completion percentage along with 3,404 yards and 34 touchdowns during his high school sophomore campaign for Jesuit.

Recruiting Summary

Griffin is ranked No. 89 overall and No. 7 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 104 and 8, respectively.

Coming into the day, Florida held the lead in On3’s recruiting prediction machine with an 88.1% chance of signing him. The Florida State Seminoles (3.6%), Ohio State Buckeyes (3.1%) and Michigan Wolverines (1.7%) lagged well behind the Gators.

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Florida football gets crystal ball prediction for blue-chip 2026 QB

This four-star signal-caller out of Tampa looks to be a lock for the Florida Gators in the 2026 cycle.

Florida football has been grinding away on the high school recruiting trail under the direction of head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his army of staffers.

The program’s efforts are beginning to show signs of success thanks in part to a crystal ball prediction from 247Sports for four-star quarterback [autotag]Will Griffin[/autotag] out of Tampa (Florida) Jesuit in the 2026 cycle.

UPDATE: Griffin has verbally committed to the University of Florida

“It’s long been documented that Griffin grew up a fan of Florida himself, and has been attending games inside of The Swamp since he was a child. Several of his family members have attended and graduated from Florida,” according to 247Sports’ Blake Alderman.

“Griffin has downplayed childhood fandom as a factor in his recruitment, but it’s certainly given Florida an inroad into catching his attention very early in the process.”

Recruiting Summary

Griffin is ranked No. 89 overall and No. 7 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 104 and 8, respectively.

In addition to 247Sports’ crystal ball, Florida also holds the lead in On3’s recruiting prediction machine with an 88.1% chance of signing him. The Florida State Seminoles (3.6%), Ohio State Buckeyes (3.1%) and Michigan Wolverines (1.7%) lag well behind the Gators.

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Standout QB recruit says Billy Napier runs an ‘NFL style’ of practice

The top-rated QB prospect says that he feels right at home when he’s talking to the Florida coaching staff.

Spring is in the air at the James W. Bill Heavener Center this time of year, as the Florida football program is well into its practice schedule ahead of the yearly Orange and Blue exhibition game.

Dozens of high school recruits are observing closely from the sidelines, taking note of how the team is operating and how they might into a rebuilding program like the Gators.

Four-star quarterback [autotag]Will Griffin[/autotag] made an official visit to Gainesville on March 21 and took some time with Swamp247 to summarize his trip afterward.

One interesting observation that Griffin made was the type of practices that Florida head coach Billy Napier was running. According to Griffin, the practices have pro-style flair.

Griffin’s thoughts on spring practice

“One thing that really stood out, I had never been to a spring practice before,” Griffin said. “I felt like Napier is running an NFL-style practice. He has really high hopes for Florida this year. He thinks this could be their year to get it turned around. He thinks this is going to be their building block year going into his third year. He’s done a tremendous job building up this program up. I am excited to see what the future holds with them.”

How the blue-chipper feels about the coaching staff

The top-rated quarterback prospect also told Swamp247 that he feels right at home when he’s talking to the Florida coaching staff. He stays in contact with quarterbacks coach Ryan O’Hara and Napier once a week.

“The biggest thing for me is, and I am pretty sure I have been saying this the last few times I’ve visited,” Griffin said. “But around the third or fourth time being there with the coaches they start to feel like best friends. I feel like me and O’Hara get along so easily. Same with Coach Napier. I call them once a week just to stay in contact.

His relationship with current QBs Mertz and Lagway

Griffin crossed paths with both Gators quarterbacks Graham Mertz and freshman DJ Lagway.

“I get along with them, and I also get along with DJ [Lagway] and Graham [Mertz] really well. I see them a lot. Whenever I am with DJ we talk about how he’s doing, how he’s picking up the offense, and how he’s been ding with it all. He’s only been there three months, so I try and put myself in his shoes. I am trying to compete for a spot when I get to college. I am just really tight with them.”

Recruiting summary

Griffin is a four-star quarterback from Tampa, Florida, ranked at No. 59 by 247Sports, and is the fourth-best quarterback in the 2025 recruiting cycle. He’s also being chased by the Florida State Seminoles, Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins.

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Four-star 2026 QB details his ‘awesome’ visit to Gainesville

Florida Gators football hosted a 4-star quarterback over the weekend, who was elated and summarized the trip as “awesome.”

Florida Gators football welcomed a highly sought-after quarterback to campus over the weekend and it’s needless to say that the prospect was satisfied with his return to UF’s campus.

Four-star quarterback recruit [autotag]Will Griffin[/autotag] returned to Gainesville over the weekend after the Florida coaching staff paid several visits to Jesuit High School in Tampa. Griffin detailed his trip with Swamp247 and summarized the trip as “awesome.”

Also in tow with Griffin was five-star prospect DJ Lagway.

“It was awesome,” Griffin said. “I shadowed with DJ (Lagway). I think it was a great opportunity. I think people should do it no matter what college it is. Just happened to be Florida for me. I was with him all day.”

Griffin said he and Lagway watched team workouts before treating themselves to Metro Diner. The pair of quarterbacks then met with one of the football program’s tutors, who toured with Griffin during one of his previous visits.

Then it was time for a film session with Florida quarterbacks coach Ryan O’Hara, Griffin also had the pleasure to cross paths with head coach Billy Napier.

“We went back and I talked with Coach (Ryan) O’Hara in a film study for about an hour. He showed me how they run their entire offense and he pulled up my video and showed me some of things I do is similar to what they do and I’d be a great fit.”

“I met with Coach Napier for an hour as well,” Griffin said. “I feel every time I talk to Coach Napier it becomes more easy. You feel more comfortable and the conversations expand a lot. It’s always great to talk to him.”

Building the relationship between head coach and potential future starting quarterback is crucial, especially with numerous top-programs pursuing the same recruit.

Griffin is being recruited by the likes of Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Florida State and Georgia. It’s no surprise considering how well-rated the prospect is.

The high school sophomore is ranked No. 59 overall, according to 247Sports, and is the No. 4 quarterback in the class of 2026.

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Badgers offer four-star quarterback from Florida

Badgers offer four-star quarterback from Florida

Wisconsin offered Will Griffin, a four-star class of 2026 quarterback from Tampa, Florida, on Monday. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound athlete still has two more years at Jesuit High School before he’d potentially make the leap to the collegiate level.

Although he’s still so far out from making his college debut, Griffin has already received 24 Division 1 offers, including five offers from within the Big Ten. With programs like Ohio State, Michigan and Oregon interested, Wisconsin has some competition within their conference.

Griffin is just the second quarterback that the Badgers have offered for 2026 so far, joining fellow Florida native Dia Bell (Fort Lauderdale, FL).

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