Florida eyes star QB Grayson McCall with Gators emerging as ‘serious contender,’ per report

Football

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Image Credit: Emma Bissell, UAA

With 2022 starter Anthony Richardson declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft as a potential first-round pick after his sophomore season, building a quarterback room has been priority No. 1 for the Florida Gators. Head coach Billy Napier has done an excellent job securing the future with commitments from five-star 2023 QB Jaden Rashada (Pittsburg, CA) and five-star 2024 QB D.J. Lagway (Willis, TX), but the Gators are attempting to prevent themselves from entering next season in a hole given it is rare for a true freshman to start at the game’s most important position.

Coastal Carolina QB Grayson McCall quickly became one of the top names in the transfer portal once entering this offseason, and it now appears as if Florida has emerged as a “serious contender” for his services, according to On3’s Pete Nakos.

Listed sixth overall in the 247Sports Transfer Portal rankings, McCall has completed 70.4% of his passes throughout his career with an incredible 78-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He has excelled in each of the last three seasons as a starter for the Chanticleers and would be a perfect fit for the Gators as they continue to rebuild the program.

• 2020: 2,488 yards passing, 26 TD, 3 INT | 569 yards rushing, 7 TD
• 2021: 2,873 yards passing, 27 TD, 3 INT | 290 yards rushing, 4 TD
• 2022: 2,633 yards passing, 24 TD, 2 INT | 183 yards rushing, 5 TD

The reining three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year, McCall is surely familiar with Napier given they competed against one another across the last two seasons, and Napier likely recruited McCall out of high school. The signal caller canceled a scheduled visit to Auburn last weekend, according to multiple reports.

McCall has two years of eligibility remaining, though his goal is likely to play one season for a major Power Five program to prove his skill at college’s top level before heading into the 2024 NFL Draft. That fits Florida’s needs precisely as its goal will be to have Rashada ready to start in 2024 after one year of collegiate seasoning.

Whether McCall is the player it lands remains to be seen, but the Gators must add a quarterback from the transfer portal this cycle. In addition to Richardson’s draft departure, backup Jalen Kitna was dismissed, and redshirt freshman Jack Miller III, who made his first career start in the 2022 Las Vegas Bowl, inspired little confidence that he was prepared for the job next season.