DJ Lagway continuing dialogue with Ole Miss, others in transfer portal despite Baylor commitment

Lagway verbally committed to Baylor but has kept lines of communication with other schools open

Nothing in the transfer portal is final until the ink is dry -- and sometimes not even then. DJ Lagway's verbal commitment to Baylor looked like a clean win for the Bears on Thursday, but the situation is still worth watching.

Lagway, the former Florida quarterback, has continued dialogue with other programs, including Ole Miss, even after verbally committing to Baylor, sources told CBS Sports' Chris Hummer and Matt Zenitz on Friday afternoon. Lagway informed multiple people of his commitment to the Bears and even began recruiting other players on Baylor's behalf. 

Still, the continued communication elsewhere adds an unexpected wrinkle to what appeared to be a significant pickup for a Baylor team desperate for momentum.

Lagway, the No. 1 quarterback in the 2024 high school recruiting class, committed to Baylor after two seasons at Florida. If he does inevitably enroll, he would be the highest-rated quarterback recruit ever to land in Waco. A Baylor legacy whose father Derek played for the Bears from 1997-2001, Lagway completed 62% of his passes at Florida for 4,179 yards, 28 touchdowns and 23 interceptions across 24 games, while also adding 237 rushing yards and a score.

He is currently ranked as the No. 4 quarterback and No. 13 overall prospect in Cooper Petagna's 247Sports transfer portal rankings.

The appeal of Baylor is obvious. 

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Offensive coordinator Jake Spavital has a strong reputation for developing quarterbacks, and the Bears' wide-open system mirrors what Lagway thrived in at Willis High School, where he set a Texas 6A record with 58 touchdown passes in 2023. For a player who battled injuries and inconsistency during Florida's 2025 season, Baylor offers a chance to reset away from the SEC spotlight.

So why Ole Miss?

Part of the answer may have emerged earlier Friday, when the NCAA formally denied quarterback Trinidad Chambliss' waiver request, effectively ending his college eligibility. Chambliss had transferred in from Division II Ferris State and was expected to return for the Rebels in 2026 if his waiver was approved. With that door now shut -- pending a potential appeal -- Ole Miss suddenly finds itself with fewer experienced options at quarterback on the heels of a run to the College Football Playoff semifinals.

That timing makes Lagway's continued dialogue with the Rebels more notable, even if nothing has changed publicly. Ole Miss is entering a new era under first-year coach Pete Golding, and quarterback clarity is now a pressing issue.

For Baylor, the situation exposes just how precarious portal wins can be. After a 5-7 season, Bears coach Dave Aranda heads into 2026 squarely on the Big 12's hottest seat, and Lagway's pledge was seen as a rare jolt of energy for a program that has watched talent walk out the door during this portal window. Until Lagway is officially on campus and taking snaps in green and gold, nothing can be taken for granted. 

In the modern portal era, a commitment is no longer a finish line -- it's just another checkpoint.