Florida football: Joel Klatt says Mertz is a top-ten QB this fall

Florida football may not have the flashiest guys under center, and definitely won’t see a quarterback in the Heisman race as the season winds down.

But it’s very possible that a lot of people are overlooking what the Gators have and assuming that Graham Mertz won’t be able to thrive in Gainesville.

But one member of the national media is a little higher on what Mertz can do with the Gators, and that’s Joel Klatt.

Klatt named his top ten quarterbacks for the 2023 season recently, and Graham made the cut right at No. 10.

Florida football: Not like it’s never happened

How many times have we seen quarterbacks who not many people know of, or who haven’t put it together yet, transfer and then shine on a national level?

Show of hands, who knew who Joe Burrow was at Ohio State? How many of you thought Michael Penix was a Heisman contender before he moved out to Washington?

The transfer portal is a way for QBs to get out of bad situations and move to a system where they can shine. That’s what Klatt thinks we’ll see from Mertz this fall.

Here’s Joel’s full top-ten list:

1. JJ McCarthy

2. Caleb Williams (transfer)

3. Drake Maye

4. Michael Penix Jr. (transfer)

5. Jayden Daniels (transfer)

6. Bo Nix (transfer)

7. Jordan Travis (transfer)

8. Spencer Rattler (transfer)

9. Cade Klubnik

10. Graham Mertz (transfer)

Look at how many of those names are transfer QBs. Mertz isn’t pioneering a new front here. He’s making a move that we’ve seen work for a lot of other guys.

And I’ll say it again: Graham isn’t going to be asked to throw the ball 40 times a game down the field. This is a very favorable system for a guy like Mertz that I think fits his skillset very well.

So for all you Florida fans that want to doubt him and this offense, I welcome you to be miserable all fall and not have any hope.

But don’t drag us all down with you. Some of us believe in this Florida team.