Florida, South Carolina continue to battle for 4-star QB Ryan Montgomery

Major Power 4 programs have been recruiting Findlay (Ohio) four-star quarterback Ryan Montgomery since early on in the 2025 recruiting cycle. As the cycle progresses, a handful of teams have begun to stand out in Montomgery’s recruitment.

While a February announcement was thought to be in the cards, it appears Montgomery will take a bit more time to consider his options before making his college decision.

On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons said on The Inside Scoop football recruiting show that Montgomery is ‘close’ to a decision and that Florida and South Carolina appear to lead the way.

“I think Ryan’s been ‘close’ to a decision for a while,” Simmons said. “Inching towards that finish line. He just wants to make sure he’s 100 percent happy with that decision and feels that school is 100 percent right for him and his family and his quarterback skillset and so on before he pulls the trigger.

“Obviously, we knew once he went into basketball playoffs his focus was there,” Simmons continued. “He’ll go on spring break right after basketball season, take that week to really kind of reset things — where he’s at, where he wants to go in the spring — but I think the two schools that remain front and center going into those trips are probably Florida and South Carolina.

“. . . I’ve always felt Florida and South Carolina were battling for that top spot for Montgomery,” Simmons added. “I was told by a close source that he’ll take one, maybe two trips. So, if he takes one, it’ll be very interesting to see what that means. He has great connections with both staffs, he’s very familiar with Columbia and Gainesville. I think both those schools are still right there fighting for that top spot.”

More on Montgomery’s recruitment

Montgomery spoke with On3 earlier this month about recent trips to Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

Florida: “I really like how Coach Napier approaches things. I like his process and the way he does things at Florida. How he is trying to do things and change the culture is unique to me. Florida is a really cool place I like the way they treat me. The staff really prioritized me since they started recruiting me, they have treated me as their true No. 1 guy and that has always stood out.”

Georgia: “What stands out about Georgia is the sustained success there. Georgia is somewhere I am going to be successful. Not just off the field, but on the field. Georgia is the standard of college football right now and they show no signs of slowing down. I can go there and get developed and compete for national championships year in and year out.”

South Carolina: “I am the only 2025 quarterback they are recruiting. South Carolina is all in on me and I don’t take that for granted. It is super-rare and it means a lot. Coach Shane Beamer and Coach Dowell Loggains have treated me as their No. 1 from even before they offered. The relationships, the culture and the family vibe are what keeps South Carolina up there.”

Ryan Montgomery Recruiting Profile

Montgomery is the nation’s No. 201 overall prospect and No. 15 quarterback in the 2025 cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking — a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 8 recruit in Ohio.

On3 Director of Scouting and Ranking Charles Power:

“Ryan Montgomery is a polished passer and showed encouraging improvement as a junior, passing for over 3,000 yards and 35 touchdowns with five interceptions.”