Florida football: Which members of the 2023 class will stick around?
By Will Thomas
![Florida Gators offensive coordinator Rob Sale hugs Florida Gators recruit Jaden Rashada after the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 12, 2022. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]Ncaa Football Florida Gators Vs South Carolina Gamecocks](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2Fb482533cec463d6b151a373994a30247971cb2bec6abc63f82331df0356cc746.jpg "Florida Gators offensive coordinator Rob Sale hugs Florida Gators recruit Jaden Rashada after the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 12, 2022. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]Ncaa Football Florida Gators Vs South Carolina Gamecocks")
This one may feel a bit surprising and would be a big hit in the near future if Rashada left. But just listen for a minute.
Graham Mertz signed to come to play for UF next year, so between him and Jack Miller, Rashada likely won’t see meaningful playing time this season. The year after that, DJ Lagway comes in.
The QB room for Florida football is going to get crowded fast. And unless Rashada comes in slinging it all around the field and turns into an elite QB early in his career, he may get pushed out by Lagway.
This is no dig at Rashada. I’m very excited he’ll be putting on the Orange and Blue, and think he has tons of talent. But by Lagway’s second season, I think Rashada may be in a tough spot.
Jaden is from California, and we often see west coast kids who move cross country to play football transfer back out west if things don’t work out. Rashada took a visit to UCLA during his recruitment, so he may have some interest in going back and playing in his home state.