ESPN: Florida's Will Griffin most college-ready 2026 QB signee

Who is the most college-ready quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class? According to Craig Haubert and Tom Luginbill of ESPN, it’s Florida Gators signee Will Griffin.

They wrote this Thursday:

“At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, Griffin physically looks the part of a Power 4 starter and has logged enough high-level reps to help with the transition in Gainesville. He showed great poise and toughness against college-level competition at the Under Armour Next game as an underclassman, even when things weren’t going well around him. Griffin has the arm strength to drive the ball to all levels and functional mobility similar to Fernando Mendoza. His physical readiness, experience and Florida’s unsettled quarterback competition make him well-equipped to step in right away.”

Will Griffin had a stellar prep career

Griffin, a standout at Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit, was a 4-star recruit who signed with Florida in December and already is enrolled in classes in Gainesville. In high school, he passed for 12,299 yards and 143 touchdowns, making him one of the most prolific passers in state history. As a senior, Griffin completed 160 of 246 passes for 2,534 yards, 37 touchdowns and only two interceptions while leading Jesuit to an 11-2 record.

For his efforts, he was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Florida. The 6-foot-2.5, 225-pound Griffin was the No. 17 QB nationally in the Rivals Industry rankings for the 2026 class.

Last week, Griffin was named the winner of the Guy Toph Award, sometimes known as the “Hillsborough County Heisman.” It has been given out annually to the top player in Hillsborough County since 1939 and is believed to be the oldest continuously awarded high school sports trophy in the country.

Griffin’s father accepted the Guy Toph Award for his son Wednesday in Tampa. Will Griffin was unable to attend the event because he was taking part in offseason workouts with the Gators. He moved to Gainesville earlier this month.

“He loves it there,” Nick Griffin said. “Loves the coaches. They’re intense. Great personalities. Loves the camaraderie of all the guys on the team. And he was born for this. Early there, late, stay late, film, long QB meetings. He said, ‘Dad, I’m at the bottom of the totem poll and that’s where I should be. I’ve got a lot to learn and to figure out.’ But he’s up to it.”