Jan. 12, 2026, 6:55 p.m. ET
Florida football saw a great deal of turnover after Jon Sumrall took over as head coach. Among the biggest losses for the Gators was the departure of quarterback DJ Lagway, who at one time represented the future of the Orange and Blue.
With the college football transfer portal now wide open, Florida replaced its former five-star passer with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets’ erstwhile backup gunslinger, Aaron Philo. It was a move that many had expected once Sumrall brought in Buster Faulkner — who coached him previously at GT — as the new offensive coordinator.
So, where does Philo rank among the best quarterbacks in the current portal cycle? According to ESPN’s Max Olson, the Bogart, Georgia, native is the 12th-best transfer in 2026. Here is what is intriguing about the 6-foot-2-inch, 220-pound rising redshirt sophomore.
“Philo played in only eight games over two seasons at Georgia Tech but impressed as Haynes King’s backup and was clearly in line to be the Yellow Jackets’ starter in 2026. Philo threw for 373 yards on 21-of-28 passing in his first career start, a 59-12 nonconference win over Gardner-Webb, and produced 1,033 total yards and three TDs over his two years in the program.”
College football scout Tom Luginbill offered this assessment.
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“Philo has played extremely well in relief of King. Georgia Tech even paid above-market value to keep him in the program for the 2025 season. His stats are modest at best, but he got them through King’s injury issues in 2024 and played at a high level. He’s not the runner King was but is a very efficient and accurate passer.”
This leaves the question of how well Philo will fit in Gainesville. Olson believes it could be a match made in heaven… down the road.
“As soon as Philo’s decision to enter the portal surfaced, it was clear he’d be teaming up with his offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner at Florida. The fact that Philo has three more years ahead of him means he could be a foundational player for Jon Sumrall and this new Gators staff. Philo gets to play with an exciting young cast of wide receivers and a supporting cast that should get a bunch of upgrades via the portal this offseason.”
As a side note, it is worth noting that Lagway landed at No. 8 on this list.
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