Florida is the favorite to land a transfer QB with one trait Jon Sumrall loves

Florida has quickly emerged as a serious contender, and increasingly the favorite, to land Georgia Tech transfer quarterback Aaron Philo when the transfer portal officially opens in January. While several programs have expressed interest, the situation in Gainesville checks more boxes for Philo than most, making the Gators a natural fit as his recruitment begins to take shape.

Philo arrived at Georgia Tech as a 3-star recruit, but served as the backup for the Yellow Jackets in 2025 and has expected to be the starter for Georgia Tech in 2026.

Florida is the favorite to land Aaron Philo

The biggest reason Florida is considered the heavy favorite is Buster Faulkner. Philo’s recruitment and development at Georgia Tech were closely tied to Faulkner, who served as the Yellow Jackets’ offensive coordinator before making the move to Gainesville. That prior relationship cannot be overstated. Philo isn’t walking into a new system or learning a new offensive language; he already understands the framework, the terminology, and the expectations.

That familiarity gives Florida something invaluable: a quarterback who can hit the ground running. With Faulkner now calling plays for the Gators, Philo would be able to operate within an offense he already knows, drastically shortening the adjustment period that often slows down transfer quarterbacks. In an offseason where Florida needs immediate stability, that matters.

Philo also fits what Florida needs from a roster-building perspective. The Gators are looking for someone who can execute the offense efficiently, manage games, and provide consistency. Philo’s background in Faulkner’s system positions him as exactly that type of option:

A quarterback who raises the floor while allowing the offense to function as designed.

This pursuit also comes as Florida prepares to turn the page from DJ Lagway. While Lagway arrived with enormous talent and expectations, his time in Gainesville never fully lived up to the billing. Flashes were there, but inconsistency and stalled development prevented him from becoming the steady presence Florida hoped for. Moving on creates both opportunity and urgency, and Philo fits neatly into that void.

For Philo, Florida gives him a chance to play on the SEC stage, reunite with a coach who already believes in him, and compete for the job rather than wait for one to open. It wouldn’t be starting over or trying to fit into a system that doesn’t match his strengths — he’d be stepping into something familiar, with better weapons around him and a more straightforward path forward.

None of this guarantees instant stardom, and that’s okay. Florida isn’t searching for a superhero at quarterback. What the Gators need is someone who can run the offense, make the right decisions, and bring a steady presence to the huddle. Philo checks those boxes, and with Buster Faulkner already in place, the transition feels less like a gamble and more like a natural next step.

As the portal process continues, Florida’s interest feels less like speculation and more like inevitability. For both the Gators and Philo, this is the rare transfer situation where everything aligns.