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Florida Gators have extended a scholarship offer to a big-time quarterback recruit.

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Jim McElwain has a puzzle to put together. He’s trying to build the quarterback depth at Florida, both for the immediate future and long term.

McElwain thought he was off to a good start with Will Grier, but that piece didn’t fit.

And with Treon Harris’ struggles toward the end of last season, the Gators head coach realized the sophomore quarterback wasn’t the answer either.

Now, with the 2016 season approaching, McElwain is going in with 4-star quarterback Feleipe Franks and two transfer quarterbacks: Luke Del Rio and Austin Appleby.

But Florida has another arm waiting in the wings.

Jake Allen, the No. 10 pro-style quarterback in 2017, has been committed since July and has been actively recruiting for the Gators.

In an ideal world for Florida, Franks and Allen would be the two starters over the next half decade. However, recruiting is an inexact science. Recruits can decommit and they don’t always live up to the hype, therefore a coaching staff has to offer as many potential fits for the team as possible, especially at the quarterback position.

That’s why McElwain extended an offer to the No. 1 QB in the 2018 class, Trevor Lawrence.

Lawrence, from Cartersville, Ga., is 6-foot-5, moves well and has a strong arm. He tweeted the news of his newest offer Thursday morning.

As of now, Lawrence is favored to land with either Tennessee or Georgia, but it’s early in his recruiting process. McElwain has plenty of time to make his pitch.

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