New face at QB? Who Florida football could target when transfer portal opens

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DJ Lagway's decision to enter the transfer portal this week means Florida football could be in the market for a new quarterback, or two, when the FBS transfer portal opens on Jan. 2, 2026.

As of now, three scholarship quarterbacks project to be on the Florida Gators roster in 2026, redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr., redshirt junior Aidian Warner and incoming freshman Will Griffin, a four-star recruit who was recently named Florida Gatorade high school football player of the year.

New Florida coach Jon Sumrall and offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner will seek dual-threat quarterbacks that fit the new offensive scheme. Faulkner runs an Air Raid offense with spread concepts, designed to open lanes for quarterback runs.

The FBS transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2 and runs through Jan. 16, with schools allowed to make contact with players during that timeframe. Some quarterbacks, though, have already announced their intentions to enter the portal on social media this week.

Here are five potential quarterback transfer portal targets for UF for the 2026 season:

Georgia Tech football QB Aaron Philo

Philo would make a smooth transition as he played under Faulkner's offense at Georgia Tech the last two seasons. He's expected to announce his intentions to enter the portal before the end of the week, according to a report from On3s Pete Nakos.

The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Philo has shown promise as a backup quarterback in two seasons with the Yellow Jackets, throwing for 938 yards with 2 TDs to 3 interceptions over two seasons while rushing for 95 yards and 1 TD. Philo has appeared in seven games over two seasons and while alternating with Haynes King helped lead Georgia Tech to a 28-23 upset win over Miami on Nov. 9, 2024.

A redshirt freshman, Philo has three years of eligibility remaining. A three-star recruit out of Prince Andrew Christian School in Bogart, Ga., Philo broke Trevor Lawrence's high school record for passing yards in the state of Georgia with 13,922 yards.

Tulane football quarterback Jake Retzlaff

After transferring in from BYU, Retzlaff has led Tulane to an 11-2 record under Sumrall, passing for 2,862 yards with 14 TDs to six interceptions while rushing for 610 yards and 16 TDs..

A redshirt junior, the 6-1, 205-pound Retzlaff has one year of eligibility remaining. Retzlaff proved he could handle Power 4 competition at BYU, throwing for 3,595 yards with 23 TDs to 15 interceptions in two years with the Cougars from 2023-24.

Duke football quarterback Darian Mensah

Mensah played under Sumrall at Tulane in 2024 before transferring to Duke, where he helped lead the Blue Devils to an ACC Championship. The 6-3, 205-pound Mensah passed for 3,646 yards with 30 TDs to 5 interceptions for Duke in 2025, after throwing for 2,723 yards and 23 TDs at Tulane.

In transferring to Duke, Mensah reportedly signed a two-year, $8 million NIL that may be difficult to get out of. A redshirt sophomore, Mensah has two years of eligibility remaining, but could also opt to enter the NFL Draft,

Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby

The 6-3, 235-pound Sorsby began his career at Indiana before transferring to Cincinnati, where he passed for 2,800 yards with 27 TDs to 5 interceptions for the Bearcats.

Sorsby fits the mold of a dual threat quarterback that fits in Faulkner's offense, having rushed for 1,305 yards and 22 TDs in four seasons. A redshirt junior, Sorsby is set to enter the portal, according to CBS Sports, and also is considering his NFL draft options.

North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker

A redshirt freshman, the 6-4, 211-pound Mestemaker led the nation in passing with 4,129 yards and 31 TDs to 7 interceptions for the Mean Green. Sumrall got a glimpse of Mestermaker's potential in the American conference title game, as he passed for 294 yards and 2 TDs in UNT's 34-21 loss to Tulane.

Mestemaker isn't a true dual threat but has shown some ability making plays with his legs, rushing for 158 yards and 6 TDs. He's expected to enter the portal in January, per CBS Sports.

Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators’ national championship basketball season in “CHOMP-IONS!” — a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Five quarterbacks Florida football could target in transfer portal for 2026

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