By: Robert Craft

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway announced Monday that he intends to enter the transfer portal.

Lagway, the five-star recruit out of high school, signed with Florida in December 2023 as arguably the Gators’ most important recruit since Tim Tebow.

At 6’3 and 247lbs, he was Gatorade’s national high school player of the year and the No. 7 overall recruit.

Lagway battled multiple injuries during his Florida tenure. He had a leg issue during the 2024 season, a shoulder concern this spring and a tweaked calf during the preseason.

The offseason injuries hampered his development and led to a bumpy 2025: 16 touchdown passes, 14 interceptions and the second-lowest passing efficiency in the SEC (127.00).

Lagway’s lack of progress helped lead to coach Napier’s firing in October. Florida hired Tulane’s Jon Sumrall, while Napier is taking over James Madison.

Although Lagway’s turnovers made him a scapegoat in many corners of the Florida fan base, his departure — assuming he does transfer — will resonate. He was the face of the program. He had NIL deals with Gatorade and Jordan.

Over two seasons, Lagway completed 62 percent of his passes for 4,179 yards. He also rushed for 237 yards and a touchdown.

Some of Lagway’s final suitors in the high school recruiting process included Clemson, Baylor, USC and Texas A&M. Will he try to rekindle those connections?

Despite the struggles he had in Gainesville, Lagway will have no shortage of suitors. His pure physical talent, size, and arm strength makes him a prospect who can command a generous seven-figure payday from a needy team. Out the gate, Lagway will be the best QB#1 available in the portal.

The question is, what does Lagway want? Is it to return  home to Texas? If so, Baylor would make a ton of sense.

His father played there, the Bears were in on his recruitment coming out of high school, and Baylor star QB Sawyer Robertson has exhausted his eligibility.

If he’s looking to stay in the SEC, LSU and Vanderbilt are both expected to be in the quarterback transfer market this cycle, with Garrett Nussmeier and Diego Pavia on their way out.

There are plenty of QB-needy teams elsewhere. Miami has had great success with transfer quarterbacks, as has Indiana, and both are likely in need of a quarterback.

Miami’s Carson Beck is out of eligibility and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is expected to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Given his rough sophomore season, Lagway’s exit shouldn’t be seen as a surprise, but as a fresh start might be best for both him and the Gators. However, it’s still a significant development.

When Lagway started to gain national attention as a recruit in Willis, Texas, Florida was on his short list even though the Gators weren’t strongly pursuing him.

A friend of the Lagway  family (and diehard Gators fan), Andrea Pratt, started reaching out to Napier’s staff on social media to steer them toward Lagway.

A few months later, Lagway became a top target for Florida and a defining recruiting win for Napier. His recruitment drew major focus around Florida, with signs about Lagway popping up in front of fraternities.

Florida fans appreciated DJ Lagway’s loyalty through a rough stretch. He did not waver on his decision despite the back-to-back losing seasons before he signed and the hot-seat chatter around Napier last year. After the spring game in April — an exhibition in which he did not throw a pass — his autograph line spanned from end zone to end zone.

Losing Lagway will likely force Florida to hit the portal for an experienced passer. Four-star recruit Tramell Jones Jr. appeared in two games as a freshman this season.

This month, the Gators signed four-star recruit Will Griffin, who was one of the most prolific passers in state history at Tampa’s Jesuit High.