Grade tier: A- Graham Mertz, Florida Gators Transferred from: Wisconsin 2023 stats: 2,903 passing yards, 20 TD passes, 3 interceptions, 4 rushing TDs Midseason grade: B+ Final analysis: Florida coach Billy Napier can't point to a ton of success stories in his two seasons, but Mertz should be at the top of his list. Mertz arrived at Florida as a career 59.5% passer, unable to take the next step in his development despite ample opportunities with Wisconsin. Florida stumbled to a 5-7 season, but Mertz settled in seamlessly with Napier's offense, completing 72.9% of his passes (No. 4 nationally) with no game at below 61.9%. Although the Gators faded with five straight losses to end the season, Mertz maintained his progress, recording multiple touchdown passes in six of his final seven games before missing the finale against Florida State with an injury. Mertz will return in 2024 after setting career highs in passing yards, completion percentage, completions (261), touchdown passes (20) and efficiency (157.8), and a career low in interceptions.
Grade tier: A Shedeur Sanders, Colorado Buffaloes Jordan McCloud, James Madison Dukes Joey Aguilar, Appalachian State Mountaineers Grade tier: A- Graham Mertz, Florida Gators TJ Finley, Texas State Bobcats Haynes King, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Chandler Rogers, North Texas Mean Green
Hoping Mertz has some sort of "bump" for his second season with Napier. If that happens, and are defense and special teams can just become "decent", we might be able to win 8 or so games... which would be a breath of fresh air!!!
With our schedule next season, 8 wins in the regular season might put us close to the playoffs... Probably not in, but close. 9 I think would do it if our losses to the best teams were close...
I think it depends on where, within the season, those losses occur. If we start out hot and go 5-0 we’ll definitely be flirting with top 10 in the polls …but if we drop 3 of the last 5, which is probable, we probably finish around 20.
Yeah, still a lot of variables. It could end up our schedule isn't quite as tough as it looks now. Then again, it could get tougher...
One characteristic of the players rated above him are that they played a ton of really bad teams, CO included.
Colorado played six losing teams. Florida played five losing teams, including McNeese State. It's not like the 2023 schedule was as strong as the 2024 schedule looks to be.
Yes, a tough schedule ahead, but it is for most everybody on the SEC. It's not crazy to think that top teams in the SEC will have significantly worse records.
It may be these days, but not in the past. Some SEC teams had relatively soft schedules, depending on who their cross divisional opponent is.
