ESPN sees Fernando Mendoza style in Florida’s Will Griffin

Freshman quarterback Will Griffin has been in Gainesville since January, joining the Florida Gators early for the 2026 season. With the departure of DJ Lagway, the Gators’ quarterback room is wide open and Tramell Jones and Aaron Philo are both battling for the starting job. Neither has extensive experience though, leaving no clear option at the position as Florida prepares for spring practice.

As for Griffin, he was a highly regarded prospect and ESPN has high hopes for his college career. Evaluators even compare some of his traits to Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, although no one is suggesting Griffin will have the same career Mendoza had.

However, Griffin’s combination of size and arm talent gives him a chance to make an immediate impression on the new coaching staff.

“At 6-4, 230 pounds, Griffin looks like a college quarterback the moment he steps off the bus, and he’s no stranger to big stages. He has a strong arm, can attack every level of the field and moves better than his frame suggests. He is similar, stylistically, to Fernando Mendoza,” said ESPN’s Craig Haubert and Tom Luginbill.

“With a new coaching staff and the departure of DJ Lagway, the door could open quickly. If Griffin is forced into action early, his experience and physical readiness give him a legitimate shot to handle it. He has all the physical tools to step in, but there will be an adjustment with processing and progressions, which is the norm for most freshmen.”

Will Griffin was Florida’s Gatorade Player of the Year

Griffin closed out his high school career with more than 12,000 passing yards and 143 touchdowns, finishing No. 2 in state history in career scoring throws.

He led Jesuit to an 11-2 record and a Class 4A regional finals appearance this past fall. He threw for 2,534 yards and 37 touchdowns with only two interceptions, including a stretch of three games with four touchdown passes and two games with five. His efficiency helped Jesuit build big early leads, which limited how much the Tigers needed to throw later in games.

“Will had one of the great prep football careers in Florida history,” Jesuit head coach Matt Thompson told Gatorade.

Griffin, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, is the No. 259 overall prospect and No. 19 quarterback in the 2026 class. Many others, however, believe he has a chance to outperform this rankings.

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