Who is Florida's starting QB in 2023? Billy Napier names QB1 from Gators' QB depth chart

Head coach Billy Napier of the Florida Gators has finally disclosed Florida's starting QB for the 2023 college football season. Napier announced Graham Mertz as Florida's starting quarterback in a press release on Friday.

Mertz is a fifth-year junior who joined the Gators on a transfer from Wisconsin to play Florida's starting QB. Napier and his staff spent almost the entire offseason deciding on the team's starting quarterback as Mertz and others put in their best to impress.

Napier finally made the call on Thursday after the team had its first intrasquad scrimmage of fall camp.

Speaking about Mertz on Friday, Napier said:

"The big thing I've been impressed with is just his ability to come in and learn the system, translate what he knows and apply that to our system. And then just, you know, relentless in approach."

Napier was impressed by Mertz's work ethic, saying he worked “as hard as any player on our team,” referring to his input both in training and “in terms of unseen hours.”

Napier has kept the competition for Florida's starting QB spot open since the start of offseason training in January. However, Mertz always seemed to have the upper hand, given his experience as an effective passer in college football.

Looking at Florida's starting QB career so far

Mertz was part of the 2019 recruiting class and committed to play for Wisconsin. He was a consensus four-star prospect and a member of the 2018 Elite 11.

He redshirted his first season at Wisconsin and by his second season became the Badgers' starting quarterback. He held on to the role from the 2020 season through 2022.

Mertz, a native of Overland Park, Kansas, had a mixture of great and unimpressive outings for the Badgers. In his first start for them against Illinois, he threw for five touchdowns and completed all his passes but one. However, Florida's starting QB had only four more touchdown throws over the next six games of the shortened 2020 season while having five passes intercepted.

Mertz posted even less impressive numbers in 2021 when he had more interceptions than touchdown throws. With 11 interceptions and 10 touchdowns, he saw his passing completion rate decline from 61.1% in 2020 to 59.5% in 2021.

His touchdown-to-interception ratio improved in his last season with the Badgers. With 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for a combined 2,136 passing yards, his potential became obvious.

Napier will be counting on Mertz for Florida's starting QB to put his best foot forward as Florida's starting quarterback in the 2023 season.