DJ Lagway was a source of hope for Florida football entering the 2025 season, a potentially transformative quarterback who fans dreamed of leading the Gators back to national prominence.
More than three months after his team’s season opener, the former five-star recruit is now headed elsewhere.
Lagway announced on Monday, Dec. 15 that he intends to enter the transfer portal, with his decision coming two months after Florida coach Billy Napier was fired seven games into his fourth season at the school.
Lagway said in a message posted to social media that he made the decision to leave after “much prayer, reflection, and thoughtful consideration.”
After taking over as the team’s full-time starter as a freshman during the 2024 season, Lagway rallied the Gators to wins in their final four games to salvage an 8-5 record and help Napier keep his job.
The promise he showed as a freshman didn’t translate to a breakthrough sophomore season. Lagway dealt with injuries for much of the spring and summer, which slowed his development and preparation heading into his second college season. He struggled for large stretches of the 2025 season, throwing for 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions for a Florida team that finished 4-8 and fired Napier after a 3-4 start.
Coming out of Willis High School outside of Houston, Lagway was the No. 7 overall player and No. 2 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. He chose the Gators over USC, Baylor, Clemson and Texas A&M.
After missing out on Lane Kiffin, who opted instead to go to LSU, Florida hired Tulane’s Jon Sumrall as its next coach. Napier, meanwhile, was hired as the head coach at James Madison.
Despite his inconsistent play last season, the 6-foot-3, 247-pound Lagway will likely be one of the most coveted quarterbacks in the portal due to his physical attributes, high ceiling and flashes of production he has shown in his brief college career.