Jones vs. Philo and other QB perceptions, realities

Cover photo courtesy UAA and Hannah White.

Nowhere in collegiate sports are the expectations higher than they are for quarterbacks tagged with a fifth star, most often by a recruiting analyst who might have been a star in the co-ed intramural flag football league back in the day. Five stars projects the perception of greatness even before the first collegiate snap is taken. It also projects the greatest perception of bust for those who don’t measure up to expectations that range from stratospheric to walks on water.

Talent alone is no guarantor for success at quarterback, where borderline insane expectations have to deal with the reality of the greatest risk and overall the fewest rewards. Nationally since 2015 there have been 38 quarterbacks with a 5-star rating (per 247Sports) of which it could be said that seven performed up to or beyond expectations. The two 5-stars signed by the Florida Gators during that span – Feleipe Franks and DJ Lagway – had pockets of success before transferring out.

The quarterback under the most scrutiny at present and perhaps since some keyboard cowboy came up with star ratings is Arch Manning, described as a generational talent when he signed with Texas in 2023. After sitting two years while backing up Quinn Ewers, another 5-star whose career never matched expectations, Manning is 16-4 as the starter but very few of the winning starts have earned spectacular reviews. Three of the four losses are to unranked teams including a pair of blemishes at the hands of Florida.

It really isn’t fair to compare Arch Manning with his Hall of Fame heritage – grandfather Archie and uncles Peyton and Eli – particularly in light of Texas coach Steve Sarkisian’s track record with quarterback development. Quinn Ewers was also described as a generational talent but his 27-9 record as the starting QB under Sarkisian left both the fan base and nation asking overhyped or undercoached? The same questions are being asked of Arch Manning, still the No. 1 QB at Texas even though Sarkisian is giving some first team reps to freshman KJ Lacey.

At Florida, where the quarterback position has produced three Heisman Trophy winners, eight have arrived since 2000 with 5-star ratings. Only two – Chris Leak and Tim Tebow – have proven worthy of the hype. Cam Newton also lived up to the hype but only after transferring to juco and then to Auburn. Those three have national championship rings to validate their 5-star ratings.

The most recent 5-star at Florida was DJ Lagway, who arrived in 2024 as the nation’s No. 1 recruit. As a part-time starter in 2024 and full-time in 2025 he produced a 10-9 record and barely more touchdowns (28) than interceptions (23). Lagway is at Baylor now where his scattergun accuracy is creating calls for his benching in favor of Nate Bennett, a borderline 3-star when he arrived from a California high school in 2024.

There is no quarterback controversy at Florida currently where neither Aaron Philo nor Tramell Jones Jr. were anything close to 5-stars coming out of high school. Philo, a former 3-star recruit at Georgia Tech, started Florida’s first six games (4-2 record) but an injury to the AC joint in his right (throwing) shoulder opened the door for Jones (former 4-star) to start last week against Texas, where he played turnover-free to beat the then 7th-ranked Longhorns and Manning in his first collegiate start. If Philo’s injury lingers and Jones has continued success, it will force head coach Jon Sumrall to make a tough decision when Philo is healthy. Will he stick with the unwritten football rule that you don’t lose your starting job to an injury or will he stick with the QB who is winning since taking over the job?

From a statistical and experience standpoint, Philo has the better track record but Jones, of course, hasn’t had the opportunities. The one thing that Jones does have over Philo is a comeback win. Jones brought the Gators back from a 17-3 deficit to beat Texas in Austin and while his stats were quite average, they don’t take into account inspiration. The troops responded to Jones. The two previous weeks against Missouri and South Carolina Philo was unsuccessful in rallying the troops to mount a comeback. How will that factor into a starting QB decision when Philo is healthy to play again?

The only one who can answer that question is Sumrall who says he is confident the Gators can win with either Philo or Jones taking the snaps. There is no quarterback controversy at Florida now, but that’s not to say it will hold true a couple of weeks from now.

FLORIDA QUARTERBACK SIGNEES SINCE 2000

Spurrier recruits

Brock Berlin (2000 5-star)

Ingle Martin (2001 4-star)

Notes: Berlin transferred to Miami 2001; Martin transferred to Furman 2004

Zook recruits

Gavin Dickey (2002 4-star)

Patrick Dosh (2002 3-star)

Justin Midgett (2003 4-star)

Chris Leak (2003 5-star)

Notes: Dickey gave up football for baseball; Dosh transferred to ECU 2003; Midgett transferred to Eastern Illinois (2004)

Meyer recruits

Josh Portis (2005 4-star)

Tim Tebow (2006 5-star)

Cameron Newton (2007 5-star)

John Brantley (2007 5-star)

Jordan Reed (2009 4-star)

Trey Burton (2010 4-star)

Tyler Murphy (2010 3-star)

Notes: Portis transferred to Maryland (2006); Tebow won the Heisman trophy at UF 2007; Newton transferred to Blinn JC then to Auburn where he won the 2010 Heisman; Brantley started 2010-11; Reed became an NFL tight end; Burton became an NFL tight end; Murphy transferred to Boston College 2014.

Muschamp recruits

Jeff Driskel (2011 5-star)

Jacoby Brissett (2011 4-star)

Skyler Mornhinweg (2012 3-star)

Max Staver (2013 3-star)

Will Grier (2014 4-star)

Treon Harris (2014 3-star)

Notes: Driskel started 2012-13 then transferred to Louisiana Tech 2014; Brissett transferred to North Carolina State 2013 and is still in the NFL; Mornhinweg transferred to Columbia 2015; Staver transferred to Tyler JC 2014 then to Houston Baptist and then to Maine; Grier transferred to West Virginia 2016; Harris transferred to Tennessee State 2017.

McElwain recruits

Feleipe Franks (2016 5-star)

Kyle Trask (2016 2-star)

Jake Allen (2017 3-star)

Notes: Franks started at UF 2017-18, injured game three 2019, transferred to Arkansas 2020, NFL tight end; Trask started last nine games 2019 and all of 2020, made Heisman podium in 2020; Allen transferred to Dartmouth 2018.

Mullen recruits

Emory Jones (2018 4-star)

Jalon Jones (2019 3-star)

Anthony Richardson (2020 4-star)

Carlos Del Rio-Wilson (2021 3-star)

Notes: Emory Jones started at UF 2021, transferred to Arizona State 2022 then to Cincinnati 2023; Jalon Jones dismissed from UF 2019, transferred to Jackson State; Richardson started at UF 2022 and was first round NFL Draft pick; Del Rio-Wilson transferred to Syracuse 2022; transferred to Marshall 2025 where he is the starting QB.

Napier recruits

Max Brown (2022 3-star)

Jaden Rashada (2022 4-star/transferred to Arizona State)

Jack Miller (2022 transferred from Ohio State)

Graham Mertz (2023 transferred from Wisconsin)

DJ Lagway (2024 5-star)

Tramell Jones Jr. (2025 4-star)

Harrison Bailey (2024 transferred from Louisville)

Notes: Brown transferred to Charlotte 2024 then transferred to West Virginia 2025; Rashada signed with Florida, got out of his LOI, transferred to Arizona State 2023, transferred to Georgia 2024, transferred to Sacramento State 2025, transferred to Mississippi State 2026; Mertz started 2023 and had a season-ending ACL in 2024, drafted by Houston Texans NFL; Lagway started half of 2024, all of 2025, transferred to Baylor; Bailey transferred from Louisville and never played. Tramell Jones started at Texas and won last Saturday.

Sumrall recruits

Aaron Philo (transferred from Georgia Tech)

Will Griffin (2026 4-star)

Notes: Philo started first six games for Florida 2026; Griffin has yet to play.

STATS FOR FLORIDA’S 5-STAR QUARTERBACKS SINCE 2000

Brock Berlin (2000-01): 1-0 record as a starter; 53-87 for 653 yards (7.5 per attempt); 11 touchdowns, 2 interceptions.

Chris Leak (2003-06): 35-12 as a starter with the 2006 national championship; 895-1,458 for 11,213 yards (7.69 per attempt); 88 touchdowns, 42 interceptions.

Tim Tebow (2006-09): 35-6 as a starter; 2008 national championship; 2007 Heisman Trophy; 661-995 for 9,285 yards (9.33 per attempt); 88 touchdowns, 16 interceptions; 692-2,947 yards rushing for 57 touchdowns.

Cam Newton (2007-08): 0-0 as a starter; 6-12 for 53 yards (4.41 per attempt); 21-113 rushing for four touchdowns.

John Brantley IV (2007-11): 15-9 as a starter; 398-645 for 4,750 yards (7.36 per attempt); 30 touchdowns, 18 interceptions.

Jeff Driskel (2011-14): 14-6 as a starter; 328-552 for 3,411 yards (6.17 per attempt); 23 touchdowns, 20 interceptions; 220-649 yards rushing for nine touchdowns.

Feleipe Franks (2017-19): 16-8 as a starter; 367-622 for 4,593 yards (7.38 per attempt); 38 touchdowns, 17 interceptions; 189-438 for eight rushing touchdowns.

DJ Lagway (2024-25): 10-9 as a starter; 328-529 for 4,179 yards (7.89 per attempt); 28 touchdowns, 23 interceptions; 121-237 for one rushing touchdown.

NATIONAL FIVE STAR QUARTERBACKS SINCE 2015

2015

1. Jarrett Stidham, Baylor

2. Josh Rosen UCLA

3. Blake Barnett, Alabama

4. Kyler Murray, Texas A&M

Other notables not 5-star with national ranking:

13. Sam Darnold, USC

15. Joe Burrow, Ohio State

18. Lamar Jackson, Louisville

2016

1. Shea Patterson, Ole Miss

2. Jacob Eason, Georgia

Other notables not 5-star with national ranking:

5. Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State

6. Feleipe Franks, Florida

10. Jalen Hurts, Alabama

39. Justin Herbert Oregon

2017

1. Davis Mills, Stanford

2. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama

Other notables not 5-star with national ranking:

3. Jake Fromm, Georgia

11. James Blackman, Florida State

12. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee

19. Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh

29. Mac Jones, Alabama

39. Jake Allen, Florida

2018

1. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson

2. Justin Fields, Georgia

3. JT Daniels, Southern Cal

Other notables not 5-star with national ranking:

8. Matt Corral, Ole Miss

10. Tyler Shough, Oregon

16. Emory Jones, Florida

49. Will Levis, Penn State

50. Brock Purdy, Iowa State

2019

1. Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma

Other notables not 5-star with national ranking:

2. Jayden Daniels, Arizona State

3. Bo Nix, Auburn

7. Graham Mertz, Wisconsin

22. Jalon Jones, Florida

2020

1. Bryce Young, Alabama

2. DJ Uiagalelei, Clemson

3. CJ Stroud, Ohio State

Other notables not 5-star with national ranking:

8. Harrison Bailey, Tennessee

10. Haynes King, Texas A&M

13. Carson Beck, Georgia

14. Anthony Richardson, Florida

27. Jack Miller, Ohio State

33. Max Johnson, LSU

39. TJ Finley, LSU

52. Brady Cook, Missouri

53. Will Rogers, Mississippi State

2021

1. Quinn Ewers, Ohio State

2. Caleb Williams, Oklahoma

3. Sam Huard, Washington

4. Drake Maye, North Carolina

Other notables not 5-star with national ranking:

13. Jaxson Dart, Southern Cal

14. Jalen Milroe, Alabama

19. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

31. Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Florida

37. Shedeur Sanders, Jackson State

2022

1. Drew Allar, Penn State

2. Cade Klubnik, Clemson

3. Conner Weigman, Texas A&M

4. Ty Simpson, Alabama

Other notables not 5-star with national ranking:

7. Gunner Stockton, Georgia

35. Max Brown, Florida

40. Noah Fifita, Arizona

42. Josh Hoover, TCU

57. Ashton Daniels, Stanford

61. Rocco Becht, Iowa State

75. Byrum Brown, South Florida

2023

1. Arch Manning, Texas

2. Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee

3. Dante Moore, UCLA

4. Jackson Arnold, Oklahoma

5. Malachi Nelson, Southern Cal

Other notables not 5-star with national ranking:

6. Jaden Rashada, Florida/Arizona State

8. Austin Mack, Washington

9. Avery Johnson Kansas State

14. Kenny Minchey, Notre Dame

18. Sam Leavitt, Michigan State

20. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M

34. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

35. Austin Simmons, Ole Miss

2024

1. DJ Lagway, Florida

2. Dylan Raiola, Nebraska

3. Julian Sayin, Ohio State

Other notables not 5-star with national ranking:

4. Luke Kromhoek, Florida State

6. CJ Carr, Notre Dame

10. Ryan Puglisi, Georgia

19. Demond Williams Jr., Arizona

47. Aaron Philo, Georgia Tech

57. Whit Muschamp, Vanderbilt

2025

1. Bryce Underwood, Michigan

2. Keelon Russell, Alabama

3. Tavien St. Clair, Ohio State

4. Husan Longstreet, Stanford

Other notables with national ranking:

8. Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State

17. George MacIntyre, Tennessee

25. Tramell Jones Jr., Florida

34. Bear Bachmeier, Stanford

2026

1. Keisean Henderson, Houston

2. Jared Curtis, Vanderbilt

3. Faizon Brandon, Tennessee

Other notables with national ranking:

5. Dia Bell, Texas

16. Will Griffin, Florida

21. Dereon Coleman, Miami

Photo courtesy UAA (University Athletic Association, FloridaGators.com) and Hannah White. See more of her work on Instagram, and the official Florida Gators photo galleries at FloridaGators.com.