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Gators' Mertz, Underwood Named to Preseason Award Watch Lists

Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz is getting recognized for a productive 2023 campaign.

Cam Parker

Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz is looking to build on a productive 2023.
Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz is looking to build on a productive 2023. / Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun / USA
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Ahead of fall camp beginning this week, a pair of Florida Gators football players have been named to national preseason award watch lists. 

Sixth-year senior quarterback Graham Mertz was named to the preseason Maxwell Award watch list, while redshirt junior long snapper Rocco Underwood was named to the Patrick Mannelly Award Watch List, which is awarded to the nation’s best FBS long snapper. 

Mertz returns to Florida as one of the most experienced and efficient quarterbacks in the country. In 2023, he put up career-highs in passing yards (2,903), touchdowns (20) and completion percentage (72.9) while putting up a career-low in interceptions thrown. 

His completion percentage also led the SEC and broke a UF record. His stellar season last year was a complete flip of an inconsistent career at Wisconsin. 

“I think that for me, as a person, coming down to Florida and experiencing something new, something different than Wisconsin was big for me, and it kind of pushed me into that area where I had to grow as a person,” Mertz said during SEC Media Days. “Whether that's on the field, off the field, in my faith, in my family, all these different areas. You spend a lot more time by yourself when you are the newbie than the older person, so for me it was big-time.”

Not only will he be tasked with leading the offense, he’ll also be tasked with mentoring five-star freshman quarterback DJ Lagway. 

“If you go back to some of the throwing sessions in January and then you watch the spring game, he continues to improve. That's what I appreciate about DJ. He wants to get better. He's a worker, and he's getting a chance to observe, in my opinion, one of the best quarterbacks in the country who goes about it the right way in Graham Mertz,” Napier said during SEC Media Days. 

Meanwhile, Underwood returns for his third season as the Gators’ primary long snapper. He was also selected to Phil Steele’s preseason All-SEC second team. 

The recent announcements come ahead of the Gators’ fall camp, which begins on Tuesday. Florida begins the season on Aug. 31 with a rare matchup against in-state rival Miami. 

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Cam Parker

CAM PARKER

Cam Parker is a contributing writer at AllGators.com of FanNation-Sports Illustrated and is a recent graduate of the University of Florida with a degree in journalism. He also covers and broadcasts Alachua County high school sports with The Prep Zone and Mainstreet Daily News. When he isn't writing, he enjoys listening to '70s music such as The Band or Lynyrd Skynyrd, binge-watching shows and playing with his cat, Chester.

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