Florida football is right around the corner, with fall camp set to begin on Aug. 5. Gator Country’s roster preview series starts with the quarterbacks.
Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. are expected to battle for the starting job, while Aidan Warner and Will Griffin are likely to compete for the third-string role.
Let’s break down the quarterback room.
R-So. Aaron Philo
Following offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner to Gainesville, Aaron Philo transferred to Florida after two seasons at Georgia Tech. During his time with the Yellow Jackets, he appeared in eight games with one start, completing 59 of 103 passes (57.2%) for 938 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Industry sources told Gator Country that Georgia Tech was not pleased to see Philo leave the program, as the Yellow Jackets had him penciled in as their starting quarterback in 2027 following Haynes King’s departure.
While the sample size is small, Philo has thrived on getting the ball out quickly with accuracy and timing, especially on short and intermediate throws. With the amount of talent Florida has at the skill positions, that trait should serve him well.
Philo’s arm strength is not considered a major asset, as he can struggle to generate velocity and zip on deep throws. His deep ball has a tendency to hang in the air, which can occasionally lead to timing and accuracy issues down the field.
One of the most underrated aspects of Philo’s game is his ability to scramble. While the 6-foot-1, 208-pound quarterback isn’t considered a dual-threat passer and doesn’t possess elite straight-line speed, he’s a decisive runner. When he sees an opening, he commits without hesitation. He also has the ability to execute designed quarterback runs, as he showed at Georgia Tech, where he averaged 6.3 yards per carry as a freshman.
Philo is the most experienced quarterback on Florida’s roster. He’s played in big games, including a win over Miami in 2024 and a road matchup against NC State the following week, where he led a game-winning touchdown drive.
R-Fr. Tramell Jones Jr.
One of the most underrated retention wins of Florida’s offseason may have been keeping Tramell Jones Jr. on the roster. The Jacksonville native was limited when he first arrived on campus due to an injury he suffered during his senior season at Mandarin High School, but once fully healthy, Jones Jr. quickly climbed the depth chart. He passed both Aidan Warner and Harrison Bailey to secure the backup quarterback job behind DJ Lagway, an impressive accomplishment for a true freshman.
Jones Jr. appeared in two games, completing 21 of 35 passes (60%) for 191 yards and two touchdowns. He made the most of his opportunity in the second half of Florida’s season opener against Long Island, throwing for 131 yards and two touchdowns.
He also saw action in a blowout loss against Kentucky after DJ Lagway was removed from the game, completing nine of 17 passes for 60 yards.
In his first fully healthy offseason, Jones Jr. has shown noticeable improvement, highlighted by an electric performance in the Orange and Blue Spring Game, where the sophomore completed 13 of 17 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns. His improved arm strength and deep-ball accuracy were on full display.
The 6’0, 199-pound quarterback also isn’t considered a true dual threat, but he appears to have slightly more straight-line speed than Philo.
While many may have expected Philo to have the advantage over Jones Jr. given his experience and familiarity with Faulkner, Jones Jr. has kept this competition within arm’s reach.
Jones Jr. has the better arm, deep-ball accuracy, and arguably the higher ceiling at the position. He’s also a redshirt freshman who has yet to play in a meaningful game, so there are still areas of his game that need refinement, with consistency being the biggest factor. This quarterback battle remains close, and Jones Jr. will have every opportunity to earn the job this fall.
Fr. Will Griffin
There’s a lot to like about freshman quarterback Will Griffin. As quarterbacks coach Joe Craddock put it, he looks like he was built in a lab. At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Griffin possesses an SEC-ready frame with natural arm strength, athleticism, and the size and toughness to be a factor as a power runner.
He looks every bit the part of a future starter with further development under this coaching staff.
One of the more intriguing aspects of Griffin’s resume is his experience, as he started 59 games during his high school career while throwing for 12,299 yards and 143 touchdowns. He became the 10th quarterback in Florida high school history to surpass 10,000 career passing yards and ranks second all-time in the state in career passing touchdowns.
R-Jr. Aidan Warner
Aidan Warner is back at Florida for his third season after joining the program as a preferred walk on in 2024.
In his career, Warner has completed 21 of 50 passes for 228 yards and three interceptions. Of course, the overwhelming majority of that production came in games against Georgia and Texas in 2024, when Warner was thrown into the fire after injuries to both Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway.
He didn’t appear in a game in 2025.
R-So. Aaron Williams
Aaron Williams, an Orlando, Florida, native, joined the program in 2024 as a walk-on. He has yet to appear in a game at Florida. During his high school career, Williams threw for 3,680 yards, 39 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
Projected depth chart entering fall camp
QB1: Aaron Philo
QB2: Tramell Jones Jr.
QB3: Aidan Warner or Will Griffin
Final thoughts
Florida’s quarterback room likely won’t be viewed as a major strength regardless of who is named the starter. However, the Gators have done an excellent job building around the position, a strategy that fits the current makeup of the roster coming off a 4-8 season and needing to address several areas of need.
I believe Aaron Philo enters fall camp with a slight edge, but this quarterback battle remains extremely competitive. Jones Jr. has the talent and upside to push for the job, and the competition could shift throughout the fall.