Florida's quarterback situation: Sumrall needs to add at least two

Tramell Jones Jr. is UF's only scholarship QB at the moment (Photo by Chris Spears)

While DJ Lagway ponders his next move in the transfer portal, Jon Sumrall will be busy building an SEC-caliber quarterback room. The current situation is less than desirable – true freshman Tramell Jones Jr. who played in two games in 2025; walkon Aidan Warner who started one game in 2024 but didn’t play in 2025; and consensus 4-star recruit Will Griffin, a record-setting passer who is the No. 6 high school QB in the country per the ESPN evaluations.

A healthy quarterback room should always have at least four scholarship QBs so Sumrall is likely to be looking for two in the portal.

There has been plenty of expectation that Sumrall will target Georgia Tech backup quarterback Aaron Philo, who is in the portal. The hire of former Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner to direct the Florida offense along with A.J. Erdely as the assistant quarterbacks coach has added fuel to the Philo to UF fire. Philo is a redshirt freshman with limited experience but he is a dual threat who was a high school stud in the Atlanta area.

There are also reports that Sumrall is talking to Old Dominion sophomore Colton Joseph, who has put up impressive numbers – career 4,251 passing yards for 32 TDs (15 INT) and 1,654 rushing yards for 24 TDs – while leading the Monarchs to 15 wins including a 10-3 record in 2025.

Surprisingly, there has been very little speculation about Iowa State QB Rocco Becht, a Wesley Chapel native with 39 starts and 26 wins to his credit. Becht has thrown for 9,274 passing yards and 64 TDs (27 INT), while running for 499 yards and 19 TDs in his Iowa State career. Becht could be looking to transfer to Penn State where former Iowa State coach Matt Campbell is the new boss. Miami will also be in the market for a new QB so that also is a possibility.

South Florida’s Byrum Brown is in the portal. He has petitioned for another year and it’s entirely possible the NCAA, in its infinite wisdom, will grant it. If he gets the waiver to play another year, he might choose Auburn since former South Florida coach Alex Golesky has taken over that program.

A very interesting name in the portal is Taron Dickens, who was Kerwin Bell’s quarterback at Western Carolina. Dickens threw 38 touchdown passes and set an NCAA record with 46 consecutive completions in a game against Wofford.

As for the quarterbacks on hand, Jones was impressive in his collegiate debut against Long Island but didn’t play again until a lost cause game against Kentucky when Lagway was benched after throwing three interceptions. Warner played against Georgia and started the Texas game in 2024 after Lagway went down with a leg injury but he never entered a game in 2025. Griffin has the look of the quarterback of the future after joining the short list of Florida prep quarterbacks who have thrown for more than 10,000 yards and more than 100 TDPs in their careers. Griffin also has a younger brother who is expected to be the starter at Jesuit the next four years.

Here is a list of quarterbacks on hand and many of the top names in the portal:

QUARTERBACKS ON HAND

On scholarship

Tramell Jones Jr. (6-0, 203, FR): 21-35 passing for 191 yards and 2 TDs in 2 games. Ran for 10 yards.

Experienced walkon

Aidan Warner (6-3, 204, RSO): No stats 2025. In 2024, 21-50 passing for 228 yards, 0 TDs (3 INT) and 1 rushing TD

Signed

Will Griffin (6-3, 225, Tampa, FL Jesuit): Passed for 2,534 yards, 37 TDs (2 INT), ran for 296 yards and 6 TDs. Career passed for 12,299 yards, 143 TDs (37 INT), ran for 743 yards and 14 TDs.

QUARTERBACKS IN THE PORTAL

Josh Ehrlich, Susquehana (6-1, 202, SR): Threw for 2,826 yards and 32 TDs (2 INT) while running for 811 and 7 TDs in 2025. Career 7,480 passing yards, 78 TDs (13 INT), 2,294 rushing for 34 TDs.

Jaylen Raynor, Arkansas State (6-0, 202, JR): Threw for 3,361 yards and 19 TDs (11 picks) while running for 423 and 7 TDs. Career 8,694 passing yards for 52 TDs (28 INT), 1,198 rushing for 15 TDs.

Byrum Brown, South Florida (6-3, 232, RJR): Threw for 3,138 yards and 28 TDs (7 INT) and ran for 1,008 (14 TDs). Career 7,690 yards and 61 TDs (19 INT), 2,265 rushing yards and 31 TDs.

Rocco Becht, Iowa State (6-1, 210, RJR from Wesley Chapel, FL): Threw for 2,594 yards and 16 TDs (9 INT) while running for 116 and 8 TDs. Career 9,274 passing yards and 64 TDs (27 INT), 499 rushing yards and 19 TDs.

Josh Hoover, TCU (6-2, 200, RJR): Threw for 3,472 yards and 29 TDs (13 INT) while running for 2 TDs. Career 9,629 passing yards and 71 TDs (33 INT), 8 rushing TDs.

Beau Pribula, Missouri (6-2, 212, SR): Threw for 1,941 yards and 11 TDs (9 INT) while running for 297 yards and 6 TDs. Career 2,365 passing yards and 20 TDs (10 INT), 868 rushing yards and 16 TDs.

Drew Mestemaker, North Texas (6-4, 210, RFR): Threw for 4,129 yards and 31 TDs (7 INT) while running for 5 TDs. Career 4,591 passing yards and 33 TDs (9 INT), rushing 6 TDs.

Dylan Raiola, Nebraska (6-3, 230, SO): Threw for 2,000 yards and 18 TDs (6 INT). Career 4,819 passing yards and 31 TDs (17 INT).

Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati (6-3, 235, RJR): Threw for 2,800 yards and 27 TDs (5 INT) and ran for 589 and 9 TDs. Career 6,208 passing yards for 72 TDs (18 INT) and 1,295 rushing yards for 22 TDs.

Kaitin Houser, East Carolina (6-3, 225, RJR): Threw for 3,300 yards and 19 TDs (6 INT) and ran for 181 and 9 TDs. Career 6,348 passing yards for 43 TDs (22 INT) and 352 rushing yards for 15 TDs.

JJ Kohl, Appalachian State (6-7, 245, RFR): Threw for 1,465 yards and 12 TDs (2 INT) and ran for 1 TD. Career 1,497 yards and 12 TDs (2 INT) and 1 rushing TD.

Sam Leavitt, Arizona State (6-2, 205, RSO): Threw for 1,628 yards and 10 TDs (3 INT) and ran for 300 yards and 5 TD. Career 4,652 passing yards and 36 TDs (11 INT) and 810 rushing yards and 10 TDs.

Jaden Craig, Harvard (6-3, 230, JR): Threw for 2,869 yards and 25 TDs (7 INT) while running for 3 TDs. Career 6,074 passing yards for 52 TDs (12 INT) and 214 rushing yards for 11 TDs.

Dylan Lonergan, Boston College (6-2, 211, RSO): Threw for 2,025 yards and 12 TDs (5 INT) and ran for 1 TD. Career 2,060 passing yards for 12 TDs (5 INT) and 1 rushing TD.

Colton Joseph, Old Dominion (6-2, 200, SO): Threw for 2,624 yards and 21 TDs (10 INT) and ran for 1,007 and 13 TDs. Career 4,251 passing yards for 32 TDs (15 INT) and 1,654 rushing yards for 24 TDs.

Taron Dickens, Western Carolina (5-11, 180, RSO from Miami): Threw for 3,508 yards and 38 TDs (2 INT) and ran for 321 yards and 1 TD. Career 5,063 passing yards and 51 TDs (5 INT) and 371 rushing yards and 3 TDs.

Aaron Philo, Georgia Tech (6-2, 220, RFR): Threw for 373 yards and 1 TD (1 INT), ran for 19 yards. Career 938 passing yards, 2 TDs (3 INT) and 95 rushing yards and 1 TD.