ST. PETERSBURG — The expectations have been lofty for Jeff Driskel, the top-rated quarterback in the nation. And at times Wednesday, the four-star signal-caller lived up to them.
Driskel, who enrolls at UF this week, finished the Under Armour All-America game just 2-of-8 passing for 18 yards and an interception, but wowed the crowd — and his team’s coach — on a few occasions at Tropicana Field.
“He’s got what it takes. He’s got the ‘it factor,’” said former NFL coach Steve Mariucci, who served as the head coach for Driskel’s Click-Clack team. “I’ll be very anxious to watch him grow and develop in college; he’s going to have a very bright future.”
On the final two plays of the first half, Driskel made two plays that showed why recruiting analysts have him ranked as the No. 1 quarterback in the nation.
On second down, dropping back from his own 36-yard line, Driskel took a shot down field to Oregon commit Devon Blackmon. He threw the ball 60 yards down the right sideline to an open Blackmon, who dropped the would-be 64-yard touchdown.
On the next play, Driskel evaded two defenders in the backfield before rolling out and eventually getting tripped up for an eight-yard loss that ended the first half.
He came out to start the third quarter and was intercepted on a pass tipped by his receiver that wound up in the hands of FSU safety commit Karlos Williams, who returned it for a touchdown that put Micro G up 9-7.
“I was trying,” Williams said. “I told Driskel I was going to get him before the game.”
And while that pass was a smudge on his performance Wednesday night, the most notable play made by Driskel (who is ranked as a pro-style passer by Rivals.com) was with his feet.
Midway through the third quarter, Driskel scrambled for a 63-yard touchdown that put team Click-Clack ahead 21-9. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound quarterback made a couple of nifty cutbacks and was sprung free by a block from soon-to-be Gators teammate A.C. Leonard before out-sprinting the Micro G safety to the end zone.
“I didn’t know he was that fast,” Mariucci said. “Watching him in practice, you could see he’s a big guy that has a good arm and could make all the throws. But when he took off for that scramble and started breaking tackles, he looked like Tim Tebow.”
