Florida's Aaron Philo Ranked 46th Among Power Five QBs

Redshirt sophomore QB faces competition for starting job in Gators' crowded QB room

Apr. 12, 2026 at 2:38pm

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A cubist, geometric illustration depicting a college football quarterback in the act of dropping back to pass, with the player's form broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of vibrant orange and blue colors.The battle for Florida's starting quarterback job remains wide open, with both Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. competing for the role.Gainesville Today

While the Florida Gators have yet to name a starting quarterback for the 2026 season, redshirt sophomore Aaron Philo was ranked 46th among Power Five projected starting QBs by CBS Sports. Philo, a transfer from Georgia Tech, is competing with Tramell Jones Jr. for the starting role under new head coach Jon Sumrall, who says no decision has been made yet on the starter.

Why it matters

The Gators' quarterback competition is one of the most closely watched battles in the SEC this offseason. Philo's relatively low ranking among Power Five starters suggests he may have work to do to solidify the starting job, even as an experienced transfer, and the Gators will need strong QB play to compete in the tough SEC East division.

The details

Philo arrived at Florida this spring after backing up Haynes King at Georgia Tech last season. He is competing with Tramell Jones Jr. for the starting QB job, with Jones impressing in the team's spring game. Head coach Jon Sumrall says he will have a transparent conversation with the QBs on Monday about the current depth chart, though he won't publicly name a starter yet.

  • The Gators wrapped up 15 spring practice sessions on Saturday.
  • Sumrall plans to talk to the QBs on Monday about the current depth chart.

The players

Aaron Philo

A redshirt sophomore quarterback who transferred to Florida from Georgia Tech, where he backed up Haynes King last season.

Tramell Jones Jr.

A quarterback competing with Philo for the starting job at Florida, impressing in the team's spring game with more passing yards than Philo despite fewer attempts.

Jon Sumrall

The new head coach of the Florida Gators, who has stated there are no pre-determined starters and the QB competition remains open heading into the 2026 season.

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What they’re saying

“So I wouldn't put a whole lot – when you look into the, who are the ones, we ain't there yet. Like, yeah, there will be a depth chart. There will be guys that start game one. But right now, who's the starter? Nobody? Who's a backup? Everybody.”

— Jon Sumrall, Head Coach, Florida Gators

“I'll sit down with all those guys on Monday and have a really transparent conversation about, hey, after 15 practices, this is where we are. I'll talk to them about, hey, if we had to play a game next week, this is probably what it would look like. I won't make an announcement because we don't play here next week. But I wanted them to know kind of after we wrap up, I think our players, they deserve, they've earned honest conversations.”

— Jon Sumrall, Head Coach, Florida Gators

What’s next

Sumrall plans to have a private conversation with the quarterbacks on Monday to discuss the current depth chart, though he won't publicly name a starter yet.

The takeaway

The Gators' quarterback competition remains wide open heading into the 2026 season, with both Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. vying for the starting job. While Philo may have the edge in experience, Jones impressed in the spring game, and the new coaching staff appears committed to an open and transparent evaluation process before naming a starter.