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Florida gets commitment from elite 2014 QB Will Grier, and Gatorsmas comes early

Few football players in the Class of 2014 were likely to be more sought after than North Carolina quarterback Will Grier. Florida locked up the commitment of the record-breaking QB on Wednesday.

By Andy Hutchins
John Sommers II

There are prospects that come along every so often as the cornerstones to fantastic recruiting classes. Florida's hope for the Class of 2014 is that North Carolina Davidson Day quarterback Will Grier, a four-star recruit who may be the finest high school quarterback in the country next year, will be that guy — and Grier's commitment to the Gators on Wednesday allows him to begin the work of helping assemble that class.

Grier has been one of offensive coordinator Brent Pease's recruiting priorities this fall, and for good reason: In his junior season, Grier put up 5,785 passing yards and 69 touchdowns, totals that led the nation, and had an 837-yard, 10-touchdown night that only won't be a national record because national records are dumb.

The major knock on Grier is that he's playing for a small school in a relatively uncompetitive part of North Carolina, but that kind of goes away when you watch Grier's extraordinarily impressive film.

Grier's got a cannon for an arm, exceptional accuracy, good size at 6'3" and 185 pounds, and stellar athleticism, and he uses all of them well already. With a year more seasoning and some strength training, he could turn into the sort of quarterback who could lead Florida to a national title even as a freshman.

Grier's commitment now likely shuts down his recruitment and allows the quarterback to enjoy the holidays — because, remember, recruits have families and lives outside of football, too — and should give him a chance to serve as the lead recruiter for the Class of 2014. Grier can sell himself as the quarterback of the future at Florida, and persuade a very good crop of Florida wide receivers to consider coming to Gainesville to catch his passes in Pease's offense, which is likely to open up in 2013 and beyond with an influx of talent in the passing game.

And Grier's got the skills necessary to follow in the tradition of Steve Spurrier, John Reaves, Kerwin Bell, Danny Wuerffel, Chris Leak, and Tim Tebow, fine Florida quarterbacks made legends by their play at a school that reveres QBs like no other. If he translates those skills to on-field success, the "Griersville" t-shirts will soon follow. ("Grier's 'Ville" sounds better, but I know t-shirt makers.)