Getty ImagesJeff Driskel, the starting quarterback for the Florida Gators, has signed a Major League Baseball contract with the Boston Red Sox. But he wants to make one things clear: His immediate future is at Florida, and he believes his long-term future is in the NFL.
After signing with the Red Sox, Driskel released a statement saying that he wants to be a professional quarterback and isn’t actually planning on switching to baseball.
“I plan on focusing on football and finishing my college career with the Gators,” Driskel said. “After my college football career is over I want to pursue a professional career in the NFL. If I ever decide I want to play baseball, I want to play with the Boston Red Sox who drafted me in the recent draft.”
Driskel hasn’t played baseball since high school, but the Red Sox think he’s talented enough that he could play in the Major Leagues if he ever changes his mind and decides to make baseball his primary sport. As a junior, Driskel would be eligible to declare for the 2014 NFL draft. In his first season as a starter in 2012, Driskel completed 156 of 245 passes for 1,646 yards, with 12 touchdowns and five interceptions.
I’ve watched him play live twice (does not make me an expert but gives me an opinion) and I have serious doubts about Driskel playing QB in the National Football League
He doesn’t have the comp
As a gator fan, please switch to baseball now!
HAHAHA! I watched Driskel play while I was at UGA, and I have to tell you he is TERRIBLE. Not Tebow-terrible, but awful all the same.
Think of it like this – if Driskel was miserable at the SEC-level of football, how do you think he’ll do at the NFL-level? Stick to baseball, kid – you’ll make more money and not have to work out, stay in shape, or be, y’know, an athlete.
Doesn’t look like an NFL QB to me thus far.
Hey mickle, Tebow’s 2 championships and heisman got you mad bro?
Why not give the NFL a shot? The defense isn’t allowed to hit the QB anymore anyway w/out a huge fine and a 15-yard flag.
Nah, Tebow was a good college player, and those FL teams were stacked (full of criminals!). I’m happy with the beat-downs that the Dawgs have put on FL the last few years. Ebb and flow… c’mon, certainly even UF fans can’t be Driskel fans, though? He’s god-awful.
Mickle…Tebow has the 2nd-best passing efficiency rating EVER, playing SEC level football. How was he terrible again?
That guy makes Teblow look kike a Manning.
The Red Sox drafted him in the 29th round. It is a round teams often use to draft players they consider to be extreme long shots to ever play in the majors, or never expect to see wear their uniform at all.
Often times, picks in these rounds are used almost ceremonially, to draft nephews of front office people or sons of current or past players.
Or in this case, to squat on the rights of a guy who is huge by baseball standards, has shown some skill in the past, and is probably going to be looking for a career option in the not too distant future.
The idea that the Red Sox think he’s “talented enough” to play in the Major Leagues is a bit of a stretch.
@liquidmuse – I said Tebow was a good COLLEGE player (you know, where not everyone he was playing against was a professional). In the pros he sucks, as his stats obviously show.
And everything else I said was about Driskel. Reading comprehension is a lost art!
Calm down folks. He is merely talking about his desired path not necessarily going to happen. He was just clearing up what his intentions are. He is far from an NFL QB talent now but let him play his 3rd year first before we regulate him to Boston’s Double-A team.
Dude. Play baseball. Even if you are marginal you make a boatload of money.
Two words: Guaranteed Contract.
Bobby Bonilla is STILL getting paid by the Mets. Hasn’t played in 15 years and the Mets still owe him $30 million.
“I plan on focusing on football and finishing my college career with the Gators,” Driskel said. “If a bum like Sanchez can hold onto a starting job for 4 years, I cant see any reason I cannnot.”
No. He signed a minor league contract with the Red Sox.
There is a difference. A Major League Contract puts you on the major league 40 man roster.
I feel like this has happened before…maybe its the blue and orange, but does this remind anyone of John Elway? Granted Driskel will never be anywhere close to as good as Elway, although I could see driskel becoming a premier backup QB in the NFL.
As a Gator alum and fan I say to Driskel, please play baseball. He was terrible last year if defenses stacked up to play the run. I was in mortal fear every time he dropped back to pass. The first play against Lousiville in the Sugar Bowl he threw a telegraphed pick six! How does he keep his starting job!
Nice loyalty to the team that made the investment. That’s cool. And a marketable quality.
While it’s tough to call the kid “good” or even average at this point in his career I’d point out that he’s had 2 different OC’s in his 2 years and noone to throw to past 10 yards downfield; Gators havent had a downfield field stretching threat with hands since Spurrier.
He’s big, he’s strong, he’s quick and he’s got a howitzer for an arm, if he can get his head coached up and find someone to throw to the kid has the potential to be a force of nature; We’ll see…
Heh@ UGA and “beatdown” been so long since you cats won on the field I guess an 8 point game won in the 4th quarter after 6 turnovers including one fumbled thru the endzone with 2 mins left qualifies, I guess. My memory seems to think that Florida did far more to lose the game than Georgia did to win it.
Better hope you chaps are equally lucky this year, I think you’ll need it.