Inside DJ Lagway's split from Florida, what's next for the former five-star recruit in the transfer portal

The talented quarterback is on the move after two seasons in Gainesville

When the bombshell dropped Monday morning that Florida second-year quarterback DJ Lagway intended to enter the transfer portal, a source close to Lagway expressed an almost melancholy sentiment.

"He wanted to be (at Florida)," the source said.

Lagway was the biggest recruiting win of the Billy Napier era. He saved Napier's job with his breakout 2024 performance as a true freshman. A bad-luck run of injuries this offseason caused some regression and, at least in part, led to Napier's firing given Florida's offense ranked 91st nationally in yards per play. 

Even with the coaching change and a tough season, Lagway wanted to remain in Gainesville. He picked the Gators for a reason. He loved the school. He loved the environment.

The parting happened somewhat suddenly. 

Lagway's initial meeting with the new Florida staff did not go well, per multiple sources. New Florida head coach Jon Sumrall questioned who Lagway is as a football player. The new staff opted to challenge the high-priced quarterback, pushing him on his competitiveness and work ethic.

"Sumrall questioned what he's about," one source said.

Others around Florida describe Lagway as a very hard worker, someone who can be seen running around campus in the early hours most days. Lagway wasn't looking for a guarantee of a starting role. He wanted to hear he'd be developed and what that plan looked like. Lagway felt like that wasn't presented by the new Florida brass. 

"He didn't care about the money," a second source said. "He didn't care about them bringing someone else in. He just wanted to hear you have the ability and we want to coach it out of you."

Now, Lagway enters the portal as a fascinating presence in what's expected to be a robust quarterback market.

The 6-foot-3, 247-pound Lagway comes with No. 1 overall draft pick upside. He also threw the second-most picks in the FBS this season (14) and looked a mess mechanically at times following an offseason run of injuries that basically prevented him from throwing from January to August.

Lagway is no longer a sure thing, but teams will still eagerly bet on him with his talent. 

Some early teams to watch, per multiple sources, include schools like Baylor, Duke (depending on what happens to Darian Mensah) and Florida State. Others like Miami, Clemson LSU and Texas Tech could be options depending on how the quarterback marketplace manifests.

Lagway, more than anything, is looking for development. Whoever gets him next will have to present a history of quarterback success and a plan to protect him with an above-average offensive line.

Of the schools listed above, LSU played the biggest role in his initial recruitment, albeit with Brian Kelly's staff. Baylor is interesting given its proximity to Lagway's Houston home and that his dad, Derek, played college football in Waco.

Florida will need a starting quarterback with Lagway opting to move on. Lagway's departure frees up a considerable amount of NIL capital, which means the Gators can go after a big fish in the portal. There's also some optimism about Florida freshman Tramell Jones in Gainesville after a promising true freshman season.

Regardless of what happens over the next few weeks, the divorce of Florida and Lagway ends a once-promising era of Florida football. At this time last year, Lagway was Florida's savior. Now, he'll look to reinvent his career elsewhere.

With a fully healthy offseason, a source close to Lagway believes he can regain his place among the top quarterbacks in the country.

"Give him a full offseason of moving around being healthy, I can only imagine what he'll look like next year," the source said.