Florida Picks Up PWO QB Commitment

Los Angeles-based quarterback Paul Kessler will join Florida as a preferred walk-on after one season at Santa Monica College.

Class of 2023 quarterback Paul Kessler, of Los Angeles, Calif., announced his commitment to Florida on Thursday morning. 

Kessler will join Florida as a preferred walk-on, according to Nick de la Torre on On3 Sports. 

According to his HUDL profile, Kessler was a member of the Santa Monica College football team for the 2023 season following his graduation from Venice (Calif.) High School. He did not appear in a game at SMC. 

At Venice, Kessler completed 65.8% of 403 passing attempts with 3,840 yards, 44 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 23 appearances over two varsity seasons. He also rushed for a score. 

Kessler was regarded as the No. 154 quarterback in the class of 2023 by the 247Sports composite rankings. In the early years of his recruitment, he obtained scholarship offers from Georgia, Tennessee, Kansas and North Texas, although those opportunities were not pursued further.

Around that time, Kessler visited Florida under its previous coaching staff to compete in a recruiting camp and check out the program, in June of 2021. 

Kessler can be considered a replacement for Micah Leon in Florida's quarterback room moving forward. Leon joined the Gators as a preferred walk-on last season to exhaust his final season of collegiate eligibility, and completed two-of-three passes for 16 yards in his lone appearance with UF, against McNeese State. 

In Florida's quarterback room, Kessler will join incumbent starter Graham Mertz, seasoned backup Jack Miller III, fellow preferred walk-on Parker Leise and prized class of 2024 signee, DJ Lagway. 

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