“Beat Ole Miss”: $853k NIL-valued Graham Mertz sends a stern message to teammates ahead of Florida vs Rebels clash

Graham Mertz has a message for his teammates ahead of their high-stakes encounter against No. 9 Ole Miss (8-2, 4-2 SEC). Florida (5-5, 3-4 SEC) is coming off a crucial win over LSU in Week 12, offering the Gators the momentum to take on the Rebels in Gainesville on Saturday.

While Florida is considered the underdog for the encounter on Saturday, Mertz is charging his team to claim the win. The senior quarterback won't be available for the game due to the injury he suffered against Tennessee. However, he is giving the team all of his support.

In an Instagram stories post on Friday, Graham Mertz, who has an NIL value of $853,000 (according to On3), posted a video of himself throwing the ball at the Gators’ training facility. The quarterback captioned the post with:

“Beat Ole Miss 🐊,” Mertz wrote.

Graham Mertz's Instagram stories post

Billy Napier discloses Florida's approach to the Ole Miss game

Ahead of the Week 13 matchup against Ole Miss, Florida coach Billy Napier has outlined his team's approach to playing the game on Saturday. Speaking during his weekly media availability session on Monday, the coach detailed what his plans look like.

"I think it’s really important at this point in the season, you gotta be very process-oriented,” Napier said. “You gotta have systems for everything you do, and you gotta be very consistent.”

“Hopefully, we’ve developed some habits with our players, some routines. The more consistent we can be with those things, the better we have a chance to play. I think that the next couple of days will be really important to detail up the plan.”

The two teams have different goals in mind as the matchup approaches. The Gators are looking to secure bowl eligibility with a win in the contest while the Rebels hope to remain in contention for a spot in the College Football playoffs.

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Will Graham Mertz play again this season?

Graham Mertz suffered a torn ACL in the Week 7 game against Tennessee, ruling him out of the rest of the season. With no more years of eligibility left for him in college football, he has played his final game for the Gators.

“Gator Nation, thank you for two incredible years in Gainesville," Mertz posted on his social media accounts after his injury. "Unfortunately, I suffered a torn ACL against Tennessee and will miss the remainder of the season."

“During my recovery, I will remain a part of the program and do whatever I can in meeting rooms and from the sideline to help my teammates win. I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of support during this time."

Before his injury, Graham Mertz threw for 791 yards and six touchdowns in five games. He was also impressive for the Gators in 2023, throwing for 2,903 yards and 20 touchdowns in 11 games.