UF QB commit Austin Simmons flips to Ole Miss, shuns Gators
Florida quarterback commitment Austin Simmons shunned and stunned Billy Napier’s Gators on Saturday with an 11th-hour about-face to Ole Miss.
Rather than enroll at UF next week and reclassify for 2023 as expected, the record-setting signal caller from Pahokee will join Lane Kiffin in Oxford, Simmons announced on his Twitter account.
“Respect my decision,” Simmons tweeted but later deleted amid a whirlwind of social media reaction.
Simmons’ decision leaves Napier searching for a fourth quarterback to join Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz, redshirt sophomore Jack Miller and redshirt freshman Max Brown this season. The Gators are expected add 5-star quarterback Derek “DJ” Lagway in 2024.
A native of Willis, Texas, Lagway is expected to be the Gators’ quarterback of the future. But Simmons would’ve provided depth, competition and options while also in his second year in Napier’s offensive system.
The 6-foot-2 1/2, 180-pound left-hander is a top talent in his own right, too. He threw for 3,161 yards, 24 touchdowns and 9 interceptions while completing 67.3% of his throws as a sophomore in 2022, according to MaxPreps.
Simmons also is a MLB prospect as a pitcher, possessing a mid-90s fastball and with back-to-back no-hitters his credit this past season. He aims to play the sport at the college level in 2024.
The composite rankings for 247Sports rated him nation’s No. 6 quarterback and No. 56 overall prospect in 2025. But Simmons, 17, was old for his class and graduated from high school with an exceptional 5.35 GPA, allowing him to join the 2023 class — a key selling point for UF given Lagway’s December 2022 commitment.
Simmons committed to the Gators in April and was on track to enroll for Summer B classes, which begin June 27. A June 2 visit to Ole Miss gave some pause, but ultimately seemed to be little cause for concern.
The Gators have signed many top players in the past from the Pahokee-Belle Glade area in the Lake Okeechobee region of Palm Beach County. Fred Taylor, Kelvin Taylor, Reidel Anthony, Deonte Thompson, Ray McDonald, Janoris Jenkins and Johnny Rutledge all went on to star for UF.
Instead, Simmons will arrive to a quarterback logjam in Oxford with 2022 starter Jaxson Dart and transfers Spencer Sanders (Oklahoma State) and Walker Howard (LSU) expected to vie for the No. 1 spot.
Meanwhile, Napier is confident Mertz’s experience, work ethic and football IQ will allow the Gators to replace Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL draft despite an inconsistent 2022 season.
Moments after Simmons’ decision delivered a high-profile blow to the Gators’ recruiting efforts, Napier and his staff landed a key 2024 commitment at a position of need with Georgia 4-star tight end Amir Jackson.
The 6-foot-4, 223-pound Jackson is rated the nation’s No. 108 overall prospect and 16th in talent-rich Georgia, according 247Sports composite rankings. He had caught 24 passes for 428 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2022. He also averaged 13.9 points and 11.1 rebounds in three basketball seasons.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
