Florida Gators latest transfer portal signee elevates offense to a level not seen since Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts were on campus

Florida has officially signed quarterback Aaron Philo from Georgia Tech, and he has the goods to elevate the Gators to the College Football Playoff.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Nov 21, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Aaron Philo (12) throws a pass against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field.

Tuesday was a very good day for the Florida Gators. Head coach Jon Sumrall got running back Jadan Baugh to re-sign and landed four commitments in the transfer portal. The biggest of those commitments was quarterback Aaron Philo, who played for offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner at Georgia Tech.

With DJ Lagway having entered the transfer portal, the Gators needed to, at the very least, find competition for redshirt freshman Trammel Jones Jr. and incoming four-star Gatorade Florida Player of the Year Will Griffin. They got that in Philo, who started just one game at Georgia Tech.

What do the Gators have in Philo? Let’s take a look at the film from his one start against Gardner Webb.

Attacking deep

Philo has a capable arm to attack down the field. On throws of 20+ yards down the field, Philo completed 4-6 for 124 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, along with four Big Time Throws per Pro Football Focus. He can throw the ball deep, especially in an offense that generates explosives.

When you look at the deep ball, he throws it with accuracy and nice touch. What he doesn’t have is a ton of zip when throwing them. This game is against Gardner Webb, meaning the throwing windows are easier than he will see in the SEC. He’s not going to zip into tight windows consistently, but if you give Philo a deep post, he will stress you vertically.

Layered tight window throws

Something you like to see from your quarterback is the ability to vary throws. Too often, quarterbacks try to throw piss missiles when a little bit of touch will get it done. Philo flashed the ability to layer the ball over the top of the defender.

Hitting the holeshot against what looks like Cover-6 is great to see, and gives the Yellow Jackets an explosive play. Philo sees the field well and attacks it with confidence. He also navigates the pocket well when pressured, something that is emphasized by his ability to throw on the move.

Accurate throwing on the run

Philo makes a lot of throws from the pocket and does so with accuracy. Where he showcases his best throws is on the move.

Philo understands how to throw on the move really well and keeps his lower half under control. You can see he knows how to flip the hips with his momentum to throw an accurate football. There were multiple instances during this game where he showed this aptitude.

Being able to throw well on the move is a great trait to have. Philo being able to do that with accuracy and distance gives Faulkner a bevy of different options when calling plays. Philo also has some rushing aptitude, which makes things even more difficult for the defense to defend.

Overall thoughts on Aaron Philo

The Gators didn’t get a high-end talent, nor did they get a game manager. Philo is somewhere in between. He sees the field well, will attack vertically with a deep ball, and is plenty athletic to make plays outside of structure by taking the ball upfield or throwing on the run.

With the continuity Philo has with Faulkner, there is a path toward being a potential All-SEC quarterback down the line. Will that happen in year one? With the likes of Baugh, Vernell Brown III, and Dallas Wilson as weapons, it’s not out of the question. It’s also not a guarantee, but the tools are there.

The Gators haven’t had a quarterback like this since Kyle Trask was throwing to Kyle Pitts. Yes, Lagway and Anthony Richardson were better athletes and had more raw tools, but Philo has what they don’t: a baseline of solid quarterback play.

Philo has plenty of ability to thrive with the Gators as the starting quarterback. Will he put it all together and win the starting job? Spring practice is going to be a fun one.

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