What Marcus Stokes’ pledge means for Florida’s 2023 class, QB room

The Florida Gators have secured their signal caller for the 2023 class in Elite 11 finalist Marcus Stokes, who flipped from Penn State on Thursday.

Stokes had been pledged to the Nittany Lions since April, but recently landed a UF offer after competing in the Swamp Shootout 7on7 camp in late June. His trainer, Denny Thompson, knew the Gators would come calling after he spoke with their staff following Stokes’ showing at the camp.

“There’s only one offer that could have gone that would have pulled him away from Penn State. Literally one. Since the day I met Marcus, the goal has been, ‘I want to get to Florida.’ And so, I think that’s important to note here,” Thompson said during Stokes’ announcement on 1010XL.

“I knew when that Florida offer came, there’s going to be some drama here. … When they saw him throw in person and I talked to the Florida staff and heard the excitement in them about Marcus, that’s when I went, ‘OK, this is not done.’”

Here is what Stokes’ pledge means for Florida’s 2023 class and quarterback room.

Recruiting implications

Stokes answers what had been the biggest question for the Gators in this recruiting cycle: who will their quarterback be? The staff hosted a handful of targets in the spring, including Stokes, but zeroed in on Jaden Rashada heading into last month.

With Rashada committing to Miami on June 26, Florida coach Billy Napier and offensive analyst Ryan O’Hara immediately turned their attention to Stokes and flipped him less than two weeks after moving on from Rashada.

With Friday Night Lights and the recruiting cookout coming up, the Gators will soon reap the benefits of their swift action on Stokes. They now have a quarterback committed who can be on hand to recruit for these events and big visit weekends.

Stokes, who lives an hour and a half from Gainesville in Ponte Vedra Beach, plans to attend all the home games this season as well.

“I’m beyond excited to start recruiting for this class,” Stokes said. “I’m ready to be a part of what we’re building here at Florida.”

Gators Online’s Donavon Keiser outlined how Stokes will bolster Florida’s recruiting efforts, and he’s already started tweeting at top targets such as wide receiver Aidan Mizell and offensive lineman Lucas Simmons.

Stokes, as you can watch in this video, has an outgoing personality that will sell the Gators well on the trail.

“One of my favorite guys I’ve ever worked with. Y’all can see the personality. That’s his greatest attribute,” Thompson said of Stokes. “As good of a quarterback as he is, the personality and energy that he brings into not just our facility, but Nease High School and what they’ve done there, it’s been amazing. And that’s a direct reflection to the energy that he brings to the game. He loves the game.”

Roster implications

The Gators have four quarterbacks on their 2022 roster following Carlos Del Rio-Wilson‘s transfer to Syracuse and the addition of signee Max Brown.

The QB room is led by Anthony Richardson, who trains under Thompson with Stokes. Richardson has received several first-round projections for the 2023 NFL Draft and could be one-and-done as a starter with a healthy, productive season.

Stokes is well aware of Richardson’s draft stock.

“I’m proud for Anthony,” Stokes said. “The amount of work that he puts in in the lab and the amount of hours that he’s with Denny is impeccable. He’s a crazy athlete. I definitely think that he’s going to go to the NFL after this year. I just know he’s going to have a great year.”

If Richardson plays well enough to turn pro, Stokes would have a chance to earn playing time as a true freshman. His top competition will be Ohio State transfer Jack Miller, Richardson’s backup this year, as well as Jalen Kitna and Brown.

“Obviously, I’m really excited to get there,” Stokes said. “When I come in, I’m sure there’s going to be an open competition, so we’ll see. I’m ready to compete.”

Marcus Stokes scouting report

After winning just one game the previous two seasons, Nease went 9-4 last year thanks in part to the play of Stokes. He led his team to a regional final, throwing for 2,672 yards with 22 touchdowns, nine interceptions, a 59 percent completion rate and six rushing scores.

Stokes broke down his game during the 1010XL interview, followed by Thompson.

“I like to have fun when I play. I like to have a certain amount of swagger,” Stokes said. “I’ve been called gritty, and I guess that’s a very good attribute to have as a quarterback. You don’t want to be nervous on the field. You want to feel like you know what you’re doing. You don’t want to have any second thoughts. I feel like I can extend a play as well. I can use my legs and run if I need to.”

“Marcus is one of those guys where his personality shows in his game,” Thompson said. “There are times when he can freestyle and make something out of nothing. His current high school coach, Collin Drafts, has managed this and allowed it to happen. Because a lot of coaches would say, ‘You can’t do this. You can’t be you. You gotta stay within the confines.’

“Collin’s not done that and that’s fantastic. You gotta give him some room and the ability to freestyle and good things are going to happen. The rarity in Marcus, though, is that the throws that have to be made, he can also make. … Marcus nails those. So, he’s got that perfect rhythm of both and that’s probably the best way to describe him.”