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Davin Davidson is a four-star quarterback from Cardinal Mooney High School in Sarasota, Florida. He is 6-foot-6, and he committed to the Gators on April 9. Davidson visited for the season opener against Florida Atlantic on September 5. Davidson is the No. 127 ranked prospect in the nation, according to the Rivals Industry Composite.
Learn more about Davidson’s goals, his love for the game of football, and why he chose Florida in this edition of Getting to Know.
FOOTBALL/RECRUITING
You were in town this past weekend for the season opener; what was your visit like?
“The best part was just being back in Gainesville with all the commits and other recruits, getting to connect with them, and getting to talk to some of the coaches and players before and after the game was really fun. The game was just unbelievable; the old Florida culture really felt like it was back, so it was awesome being there.”
What was the recruiting process like for you?
“I had a pretty different recruiting journey than most, a late blow-up. I ended up going from six offers to 33 in about two weeks. So, it was definitely accelerated. It was just a lot of phone calls, eliminating schools off of really broad topics. I had to go from 33 offers down to one in a two-month span.”
What school came in second in your recruiting process?
“Georgia.”
What inspired you to start playing football?
“I think, to be honest, just watching my cousin play. I would go out there for his games, and it always looked super fun.”
What are your biggest strengths as a football player?
“My preparation. I do a really good job, and it takes a lot of time to prepare for each game, so I go into the game without having any questions. I’d say just arm strength and being able to place the ball wherever I want to.”
What was the most appealing part of the University of Florida?
“I’d say, to be honest, how down-to-earth the coaches are. Every single time I went, it felt like home; I felt like they cared about me, and they wanted the best for me. Obviously, being in the SEC, staying in-state is all really appealing, but just the coaching staff and how much they showed that I was a priority really meant a lot to my family and me.”
What is your favorite football memory?
“I’d have to say the state championship win last year.”
Who have you spoken to the most from your recruiting class?
“Elias Pearl and I have grown up in the same area, and we’ve been good friends for a while, so obviously we’ve kept in touch a ton. I have to say him or Andrew Beard II.”
Who have you spoken to the most currently on the team?
“I’d have to say Mason Jordan. He was a preferred walk-on guy; we were teammates in high school. So, we talk every single day. Other than that, probably Tramell (Jones Jr.) or Aaron Philo.”
Who are you looking forward to going against the most in practice?
“I’d have to say Cormani McClain. I think he’s a really good player, so getting the throw to those matchups will be a really fun time, and I think he’ll get me a lot better too.”
What is your favorite NFL team?
“Carolina Panthers.”
Who is your favorite player?
“I’d have to say Cam Newton; I loved watching him growing up. I was a huge Trevor Lawrence fan when he was at Clemson.”
What is the one thing Coach Joe Craddock has said that stuck with you the most?
“I would say them calling me the day after they were hired really meant a lot. The first thing he said was, ‘If I punched you in the face right now, what would you do back?’ I told him I would punch him right back.”
What kind of player does the coaching staff envision you becoming?
“I think a guy who’s just gonna spread the ball to all the playmakers. They see me as a leader, as a guy that’s gonna help win championships at Florida.”
What are your goals going into your freshman year?
“My goals are really just to master the offense as fast as possible, and as detailed as possible. I want to have all the ins and outs, really the whole thing down before spring ball.”
What part of your game are you looking to improve on the most?
“Just in the run game, being not really a dual threat, but I think my legs are something teams will have to take into consideration.”
What should Gator fans expect from you when you get to campus?
“A tone-setter. The day I get there, I’m ready to compete; I wanna get after it. I want to go win a spot.”
PERSONAL
What is your major going to be?
“Sports management or sports marketing.”
If there was one sport outside of football you could play, what would it be?
“Just growing up playing baseball, and I absolutely love baseball, so going back to that.”
What would your first purchase be if you were drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft?
“Probably just fishing stuff or golf clubs.”
What is one thing you can’t live without?
“Football.”
If you had the aux before a game, what would be your go-to song?
“Over by YoungBoy Never Broke Again.”
What is your favorite movie?
“The Great Gatsby.”
What is your favorite TV show?
“QB1 or Outer Banks.”
Do you play any video games?
“It’s mostly EA Sports College Football 27 and MLB the Show.”
What wild animal would you be and why?
“I would say a fish. When I’m not playing football, I’m always somewhere by the water.”
What are you looking forward to most about college, outside of football?
“Taking the next step in my life, getting a degree, figuring out what I want to do as a career outside of football.”
What do you want people to think when they hear the name Davin Davidson five years from now?
“I was a leader, a good example, a good role model. I care about my teammates, the program, the university.”
What advice do you have for younger players with dreams to play in college?
“Everyone’s process is different, so don’t pay attention to all the extra noise.”
What is your favorite quality in a teammate?
“I’d say just, like, being able to be real with each other. I like a teammate that’s not gonna sugarcoat things, a teammate that shows that he really cares about you. So, someone who’s not afraid of tough conversations.”
What is your favorite meal to cook?
“I probably have to say steak; I love making steak.”
If you could have dinner with three people from any point in history, who would they be and why?
“The first one’s definitely Tom Brady. I just wanna pick his brain about football, football IQ. The next person would have to be one of the coaching greats, like Bill Belichick, Nick Saban, one of them, just to hear their process behind things. The last one would probably have to be Martin Luther King or George Washington. I want to know how it was back in those days.”
What are three things on your bucket list?
“I would have to say just travel. I’ve never been to another country, so it is traveling to a ton of other countries and kind of exploring the world. I have to say fishing the mullet run, not a lot of people know what it is, but it’s awesome; and I’d say winning a national championship is the biggest one on my bucket list.”
Apple Music or Spotify?
“Apple Music.”
Early bird or night owl?
“Early bird.”
Cats or dogs?
“Dogs.”
Quiet or outgoing?
“I think I’m pretty quiet. I definitely have my outgoing moments, but quiet for the most part.”
What is your message to Gator fans?
“We’re here, we’re coming for championships, we’re coming for wins. This 2027 class as a whole is an awesome class. We all have the same mindset; we’re all hungry for championships. We all know what Florida used to do, and that’s our goal: to bring it back.”
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