From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Florida quarterback Graham Mertz.
No. 15 Graham Mertz/QB Florida – 6033, 212 pounds (Redshirt Senior)
MEASUREMENTS
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Graham Mertz 6033/212 9 3/4 31 1/4 76 1/2
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A N/A N/A
THE GOOD
– Solid NFL size with big hands, short arms help create more compact release
– Gets ball out on time and in-rhythm
– Good accuracy on short/intermediate slants and crossing routes
– Functionally mobile to escape pressure and gain yards on scrambles, “move the sticks” athleticism
– Able to go through progressions and keep eyes/feet connected
– Navigates pocket well and can hitch and climb, doesn’t look to bail and run
– Inconsistent but capable of moving defensive backs with his eyes
– Shows touch and ability to layer throws
– Works to get playmakers the football
– Seemingly recovering quickly from 2024 season-ending knee injury
– Has some experience under center and sells play-action well from pistol
– Tough with strength and leadership
– Athletic bloodlines
The Bad
– Underwhelming physical tools across the board
– Arm strength is below-average, struggles to drive ball and lacks ideal spin on throws
– Deep passes hang and accuracy crumbles on vertical throws, struggling to lead and place
– Shows tunnel vision and misses underneath zone defenders too often, leading to interceptions and breakups
– Inconsistent reads and forces passes where they can’t go (i.e. seam versus MOFC)
– Won’t wow as a runner, gets what’s there
– Accuracy falls apart under pressure
– Only adequate anticipation
– Passes consistently batted at line of scrimmage, suggesting lower arm slot
– Limited upside who lacked ‘wow’ moments
– Laundry list of injuries that follow him since high school, including coming off 2024 torn ACL
Bio
– Turns 25 in December 25
– Career: 50 games with 48 starts, 793-of-1,225 (64.7-percent), 9,099 yards with 64 touchdowns and 31 INTs plus 13 rushing scores (negative-40 career yards)
– Spent 2019-2022 at Wisconsin, transferred to Florida for 2023-2024 seasons
– Four-star recruit from Overland Park, Kansas; chose Wisconsin over Alabama, Notre Dame, Georgia, Ohio State among multiple other power programs; committed to Wisconsin early and kept it despite surge of Power 5 interest
– 2023 at Florida (last full season): 72.9 completion percentage, 2,903 yards with 20 touchdowns and three interceptions
– 2024: 791 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions across five games and 94 attempts
– Registered 73.7-percent completion rate at Florida; was 59.5-percent at Wisconsin (773 attempts with Badgers)
– Missed two games senior year of high school in 2018 with knee injury
– Played through shoulder injury in 2020 with Wisconsin
– Suffered chest injury in 2021 and was briefly evaluated at local hospital; returned following game
– Fractured collarbone in November 2023 after running through multiple players and missed final regular season game
– Suffered concussion in 2024 opener and missed following game
– Suffered 2024 torn ACL in left knee stepping wrong backing up following touchdown pass against Tennessee, missing rest of season; held full throwing session during Florida Pro Day five months post-injury
– Named Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year as high school senior in 2018 after throwing 51 touchdowns; led school to state title as junior
– Set Army All-American Bowl record with five touchdown passes and was named MVP; also threw five touchdowns in first college start against Illinois
– Cited weather, coaching staff, and program history as main reasons for transferring to Florida, replacing Anthony Richardson
– 3.77 weighed high school GPA
– 2024 team captain and selected as such for multiple 2023 games
– Father played football at Minnesota in early 90s and two sisters played D-I basketball
Tape Breakdown
Graham Mertz went from light recruit to high school sensation thanks to breakout junior and senior seasons. Already committed, he stayed local at Wisconsin until coaching changes and lack of success required a change of scenery, transferring to Florida and replacing the draft-declared Anthony Richardson.
Mertz is the polar opposite of Richardson. Much less physically talented. More restrained, more careful, a finesse pitcher who paints the corners compared to a fastball maverick who overwhelms with stuff. Similar to Jaxson Dart, Mertz is accurate to the middle of the field and hits slants and crossers in-stride.
Mertz is functionally mobile and able to escape and elude, enough athleticism to pick up first downs and extend plays. But he isn’t dynamic and is the equivalent to the running back who “gets what’s blocked.” I do like his pocket presence. He’ll occasionally drift at the top of his drop but slides around pressure well, hitching and climbing while keeping his eyes downfield.
He largely plays on schedule and gets the ball out with a quick release. His interception rate was low, though he had some fortunate luck go his way.
Physically, Mertz isn’t dominant. There’s some size but his arm is below-average and he struggles to drive the football. A great example here, unable to fit the ball into this dig route as the defender closes and knocks it away.
But he’s not just missing high-end tools. His deep ball accuracy wanes and he struggles to see defenders out-of-frame. Two examples. First, trying to throw a seam ball against a single-high shell and gets picked (a lack of physical tools also applies here but this is a bad decision). Second, missing an underneath zone defender and nearly gets picked.
Mertz stands in against pressure but his accuracy can really fall off.
We do extensive background research for a reason. While Mertz’s character seems clean and strong, his injury history is a different story. It’s lengthy. From a knee injury in high school to a freak torn ACL with a concussion, broken collarbone, and unreported shoulder injury in-between, there’s a lot to talk about here. Mertz seems to be recovering well from his torn ACL, throwing a 58-pass script at his recent Pro Day, but he’s struggled to stay upright and available throughout his career.
Conclusion
Overall, Graham Mertz looks capable of running the basics of an NFL offense. He’ll take a profit, get the ball out quickly, and move around the pocket better than you’ll see from a lot of college quarterbacks. Mertz fits best in a West Coast system.
But a lack of even average physical tools, inconsistent processing, and a ton of injuries takes him squarely out of starting material. At best, he can be an Aidan O’Connell type (inevitably, Mertz will receive Brock Purdy comps, too) but my NFL comp will land on Brad Kaaya.
Projection: Undrafted
Depot Draft Grade: 5.8MED – Priority Undrafted Free Agent (Undrafted Free Agent)
Games Watched: at South Carolina (2023), vs Georgia (2023), vs Miami FL (2024), at Tennessee (2024)
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