Gators Billy Napier Could Emerge as QB Whisperer

Napier has already accompished a feat that two in-state rivals can't say they've achieved yet

Kyle Lander | Apr 27, 2025

Mertz's heading to the draft gives Napier a credit with his work with QBs / Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Love him or hate him, Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier has now done something that rivals Miami and Florida State have only managed combined and that’s have two quarterbacks selected in the NFL Draft.

Napier has now had two quarterbacks drafted in his time as the head coach of the Gators after Graham Mertz was selected by the Houston Texans in the sixth round on Sunday. Metz joins Anthony Richardson in heading to the NFL. Richardson was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

In Richardson’s case, he was the third quarterback taken in the draft and beat out Kentucky’s Will Levis, Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker and Georgia’s Stetson Bennett among other signal callers.

The former Gator really only had one real season full of playing time in three year with Florida and that was his final one as a junior. He ended with 2,549 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns and nine interceptions. Richardson also racked up 1,116 total rushing yards and 12 touchdowns across his three years with the Gators. That includes 654 yards and nine touchdowns in his junior year.

It was this dual-threat playstyle that earned him the No. 4 overall selection by the Indianapolis Colts.

For Mertz, he was drafted ahead of guys like Texas’ Quinn Ewers and Missouri’s Brady Cook. Before transferring to Florida prior to the 2023 season, Mertz spent four years with Wisconsin. However, his time in Gainesville is certainly a big reason why he was taken in the draft this year.

In his first season with the program, Mertz passed for 2,903 yards and 20 touchdowns while only having three interceptions. He also held a 73% completion percentage in his first year. Unfortunately for him, he wasn’t able to complete the season due to a broken collarbone sustained against Missouri, which ended his season one game early.

Then, after recovering over the summer, he entered this past season as the presumed starter for the Gators. However, there was a small wrinkle. His time on the field would be slightly cut into thanks to the arrival of the No. 1 quarterback in the 2024 class, DJ Lagway.

The veteran pass thrower still started five of the first six games and in these contests, completed 77% of his passes for 791 yards, six touchdowns and only two interceptions.

Once again, though, Mertz would suffer a season-ending injury for the second straight year. This time, it was a torn ACL suffered in the road trip to Tennessee.

So, is Napier emerging as a potential quarterback whisperer? He’ll have the chance to solidify the title with his current starter, Lagway.

After just one season with the Gators, the young star is already being heralded as the first quarterback and first pick off the board in the 2027 NFL Draft by ESPN’s Field Yates.

“With the first pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, [insert team here] selects Florida QB DJ Lagway,” Yates posted on X.

If that comes to fruition, then it’s hard to argue with the idea of him being a quarterback whisperer, especially if any rivals try to contest it.