Florida Gators Quarterback Graham Mertz Drafted Months After Heartbreaking Injury
Graham Mertz, the former quarterback for the Florida Gators, has had a difficult journey. Despite six years of collegiate football, two consecutive season-ending injuries, and months of exhausting rehabilitation, the UF signal caller never wavered in his resolve to break into the NFL. Mertz’s lifetime desire was finally realised on Saturday as he was selected in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Mertz was chosen by the Houston Texans with the 197th overall pick, making him the 10th quarterback selected in this year’s draft.
Prior to the 2023 season, Mertz transferred to UF after attending Wisconsin for his first four years of college. After taking over under centre for the Gators right away, he finished his rookie campaign with 2903 yards, 20 touchdowns, and just three interceptions.
The next season, Mertz became a mentor to DJ Lagway, a highly-regarded rookie quarterback. Early in the 2024 season, the two would split reps before Mertz’s collegiate career was essentially ended on October 12 when he tore his ACL against Tennessee.
The 24-year-old signal caller’s accuracy and decision-making skills are highlighted in his NFL.com scouting report. Despite this, Mertz returned to action at Florida’s pro day on March 27, just over five months after tearing his ACL, looking as good as ever. At the time, there were just over six months left before the draft, raising questions about his draft stock and whether he would be ready to throw for scouts before April.
Given that Mertz has already experienced a broken collarbone, concussion, and torn ACL in the last 18 months alone, his injury history and ceiling as a professional are the primary causes for concern going forward. Even so, the former Florida signal caller possesses all the qualities of a quarterback who is ready for the NFL. Even though he is only a backup or practice squad prospect, Mertz’s versatility and poise at centre might lead to his playing in the NFL for many years to come.
In related news:
Former Alabama prep standout chosen from Florida in 2025 NFL Draft
Faith Academy’s Shemar James carries the football during an AHSAA playoff game against St. Paul’s Episcopal on Nov. 27, 2020, at E.E. Delaney Stadium.
Shemar James, a linebacker from Florida, was selected by the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday at pick 152 in the NFL Draft.
The fifth-round selection excelled in prep school at Mobile’s Faith Academy before to joining the Gators.
James departed Florida after three seasons, and he won’t turn 21 until June 24.
“I felt like I was ready for this opportunity,” James said at the NFL Scouting Combine. “I feel like I’m one of the best players here. You know, I may be the youngest, but I still have that utmost confidence in myself.”
James’ 40-yard sprint timing of 4.69 seconds was disappointing for a candidate hoping to wow NFL scouts with his speed after weighing 222 pounds and standing 6 feet 1 inch at the combine. However, he improved in the three-cone drill (7.09 seconds) and the shuttle run (4.27 seconds). James also set the seventh-fastest speed recorded by Zebra Technologies during Reese’s Senior Bowl workouts, clocking it at 20.71 mph. During Senior Bowl practices, that was the fastest player who wasn’t a defensive back or wide receiver.
The Class 5A All-State team for the 2020 season included James as an athlete, chosen by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Faith lost twice during that campaign, both to St. Paul’s Episcopal, and tied the school record with 12 wins.
In the AHSAA Class 5A semifinals on November 27, 2020, the Saints defeated the Rams 21-20 in overtime and 20-6 in the regular season on September 19. In the playoff game, James not only played defence but also ran for 42 yards on eight carries and caught four receptions for 78 yards.
Despite suffering injuries during his final season at Faith in 2021, James participated in the Under Armour All-American Game prior to leaving for Florida.
James started four games for the Gators as a freshman and participated in every game. In 2023, James was able to start every game, but he missed the remainder of the season after suffering a dislocated left kneecap in the ninth game.
James logged 64 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, three pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in 2024, while starting every game for Florida.
James is the first Faith football player to sign with an SEC institution. He now hopes to participate in an NFL regular-season game as the school’s first alumnus. James’ football career began at Denton Middle institution on Pleasant Valley Road in Mobile.
“(Coach Edmond Wilder), he was kind of the coach that brought me into, like, the sports scene,” James said. “He told me that I can be great at it. He seen me playing one day at PE, and he was like, ‘Yeah, you can be pretty good at it.’ So I would say him just putting that belief in my heart at a young age.
“And then from there, coming to Faith Academy with coach Jack French. He was another coach that kind of lit that fire in my heart to play the game of football. And from that, you know, the rest is history. So I would say Jack French and coach Wilder were the two coaches, two main coaches that got me into this sport.”
