Jesuit quarterback signs with Gators

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Jesuit High School quarterback Will Griffin is officially a Florida Gator. He put pen to paper at his uncle’s restaurant “Perry’s Porch” in St. Pete on Wednesday morning. 

What they’re saying:

“Feels fantastic,” Griffin said. “It feels great. A lot of emotions, but at the end of the day, I am really thankful for the opportunity and the trust Florida has in my family and friends.”

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With his family and friends in attendance, the four-star quarterback even shed a few tears before making it official.

“I have been committed for like two years, so I didn’t think I was going to get emotional,” Griffin said. “I wanted to keep cool. I didn’t want to shed any tears. It just caught me off guard. I’ve been committed for a long time, and it just kinda happened.”

Dig deeper:

In fact, Griffin was the first commit to the Gators in the Class of 2026. He previously committed to Billy Napier, but even when the team fired Napier and turned to new head coach Jon Sumrall, Griffin stayed loyal to Florida. The future Gators quarterback facetimed Sumrall after signing with Florida. 

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“I love him,” Griffin said. “I think he’s a great fit. I love everything about him. I love his intensity. I love his emotion and the love he has for the game.”

Griffin is excited to suit up for Sumrall, but it’s not just about who is coaching in the Swamp. The senior made sure he committed to a school and not a coach. 

He did his research and went on dozens of unofficial visits across the country, even speaking with former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and Ohio State head coach Ryan Day. In the end, Florida was always calling his name. 

“I didn’t want to have any second thoughts or what ifs on any college,” Griffin said. “Growing up, you are looking at a bunch of colleges that are all over the map. We wanted to make sure that we went north, south, east and west — the whole country. I just didn’t want to have any regrets and Florida just felt like home.”

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Family Matters:

He doesn’t have any regrets for multiple reasons, especially because he is only a two-and-a-half-hour drive from St. Pete. 

“It’s the closest to home for my family to attend games,” Griffin said. “I love my family and my friends. Being able to have access to come home and for them to come up here was something I wanted to happen.”

And there is only one thing Griffin wants to happen when he gets to Gainesville. 

“Lets win a national championship,” Griffin said.

What’s next:

Griffin will enroll early at Florida in the spring. 

The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13’s Mark Skol, Jr. in an interview with Will Griffin on National Signing Day.

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