4 Best NFL Quarterbacks to Ever Come Out of Florida

Florida has produced an array of NFL talent over the years, accounting for the ninth-most NFL Draft picks (349) among all FBS programs in college football history.

However, the Gators have never been able to celebrate much success in developing top NFL quarterbacks. Still, it's worth remembering some guys and listing four of the best quarterbacks to come out of Florida over the years.

4. Jacoby Brissett (2016-Present)

Although Brissett played sparingly at Florida and really established himself at NC State, his two years as a backup for Jeff Driskel still makes eligible for this list. If you're surprised to see Jacoby Brissett here, you should know that he's already third all-time in NFL games started among former Florida QBs! After winning a Super Bowl ring as Tom Brady's backup in 2016-17, Brissett has been a decent quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts. Brissett got off to a hot start in 2019, but he struggled in the second half and has now been effectively replaced by Philip Rivers.

3. Tim Tebow (2010-13, 2015)

Tim Tebow's career as a starting quarterback lasted all of 16 games, but what a glorious time that was for all of us. First, there was Tebow coming back from a 17-point halftime deficit against the Houston Texans in his rookie year. Then he took over for Kyle Orton in 2011 and led the Denver Broncos to six straight wins, including a miraculous four comeback wins in a row that sent Skip Bayless into hysterics. The Broncos snuck into the playoffs at 8-8 and were massive underdogs to the 12-4 Pittsburgh Steelers. But Tim Tebow led the Broncos to a stunning upset, capped by a famous 80-yard walk-off touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas in overtime. After that, he was buried with the Jets, Patriots, and Eagles before eventually ending up as a college football broadcaster and Mets Double-A bat.

2. Cam Newton (2011-Present)

Even though Cam Newton is more widely recognized as an Auburn product, thanks to one-year stay with the Tigers defined by a 2010 Heisman Trophy and National Championship title, Newton did begin his collegiate career in Gainesville. In fact, he was actually a member of Florida's 2008 BCS National Championship team. Despite a short stint as a Gator, Newton still leads all former Florida QBs in NFL career passing yards, with nearly 20,000 more than Rex Grossman's second-place mark of 10,232. After being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Newton has gone on to become an NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, 3-time Pro Bowler, First-Team All-Pro and an NFL MVP. However, even with all of Newton's accolades, it's hard to justify giving him the top spot on a list of Florida products in the NFL.

1. Rex Grossman (2003-15)

Rex Grossman was a very successful three-year starter at Florida before being draft by the Chicago Bears in the first round in 2003. "Sexy Rexy", as his Florida head coach Steve Spurrier (who just missed this list himself) dubbed him, was constantly criticized throughout his Bears career for throwing too many interceptions and general inconsistency, but he did start all 16 games in 2006. Bears made their only Super Bowl appearance since 1985, but lost to the Indianapolis Colts. After being benched in Week 3, Grossman was let go after 2007. He bounced around as a backup and eventually started 16 games for the Washington Redskins before being supplanted by Robert Griffin III.

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Tristan Jung is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Tristan Jung also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username tristan1117. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.