The Florida Gators began the day on Saturday with no commitments in their 2026 recruiting class, but that changed with a significant addition. Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit 2026 four-star quarterback Will Griffin made an early commitment to the coaching staff, giving the Gators one of their top targets early in the cycle.
The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder received an early offer from the Gators, who were his childhood team. While it wasn’t a huge impact in his eventual decision to attend UF, it certainly helped. The excellent ties he’s developed with various people within the program have helped the Gators along the road.
“The most important thing for me, and I believe I’ve mentioned this the previous few times I’ve visited, is that by the third or fourth time I’ve been there with the coaches, they begin to feel like best friends. I feel like I and [Ryan] O’Hara get along so well. Same with Coach [Billy] Napier. I phone them once a week to stay in touch. I get along great with them, as well as DJ [Lagway] and Graham [Mertz]. I see them a lot. Whenever I see DJ, we discuss how he’s doing, how he’s picking up the offense, and how he’s dealing with it all.
He’s only been there three months, so I attempt to imagine myself in his shoes. I am trying to compete for a slot in college. I’m just incredibly tight with them.”
Griffin has traveled to Florida more than any other club in the recruiting process. Griffin has seen it everything, including games, junior days, spring practice, and following a player. Earlier this spring, he was able to observe the Gators on the practice field and witness how the quarterbacks had grown under Billy Napier and Ryan O’Hara. They pitch development to recruits, and Griffin could see the progress Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway had made since arriving on college.
“I am just very impressed with what I saw from DJ only being there three months and Graham going into year two,” he stated in March. “Graham is obviously the experienced, but it’s interesting to see how they’re each figuring out where they fit in the offense. It’s not a minor violation; it’s serious business. You should know what you’re doing. They’re trying to manage an SEC team here, and I think they’ve done an excellent job.
It’s interesting to observe how things go from the film room to the installation to the field. I think they’re doing an excellent job with it. According to Napier, they have had a lot of young players in recent years, and he believes the defense and offense have improved significantly.
With Griffin on board, the Gators have secured their first commitment for the class of 2026. This initial addition places them at No. 15 in 247Sports’ team recruiting rankings for the 2026 class.
Griffin is presently ranked as the nation’s No. 89 overall talent in the 2026 recruiting class and the No. 7 quarterback in the same class, according to the 247Sports Composite, which is an industry-generated average.
Florida kicks off its class of 2026 commitment list in a big manner.
Will Griffin, a quarterback from Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit in the class of 2026, is Florida’s number one commit. Head coach Billy Napier, co-offensive coordinators Rob Sale and Russ Callaway, and quarterbacks coach Ryan O’Hara are excited to have the 6-3, 225-pounder on board with the Gators.
Will Griffin, a quarterback from Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit in the class of 2026, is Florida’s number one commit. Head coach Billy Napier, co-offensive coordinators Rob Sale and Russ Callaway, and quarterbacks coach Ryan O’Hara are excited to have the 6-3, 225-pounder on board with the Gators.
Griffin, who is ranked No. 150 overall by 247Sports, is a top-10 quarterback in his class. The Gators defeated Ohio State, West Virginia, Utah, Miami, Louisville, Michigan, and many other schools to secure his commitment.
Leave a Reply