Florida quarterback DJ Lagway announced Monday he plans to enter the transfer portal when it opens on Jan. 2. After two challenging seasons and a head coaching change in Gainesville, the former five-star recruit is ready for a fresh start that gets his development back on the right track.
Lagway, the top-rated QB and No. 8 overall recruit in the 2024 ESPN 300, battled injuries throughout his two years at Florida while putting up 4,179 passing yards, 237 rushing yards, 29 total touchdowns and 24 turnovers. He’s coming off a 4-8 season in which he threw an SEC-high 14 interceptions and ranked 14th in the conference in QBR (59.5).
But there’s still going to be a market for his talents regardless of his college résumé, because there’s a ton of untapped potential here if the 19-game starter can find the right situation and stay healthy.
The Willis, Texas, native is expected to take a hard look at opportunities closer to home, sources told ESPN, but most important is finding an ideal fit ahead of his junior season where he can get back to winning and developing into a top NFL prospect.
Here are five programs that could make sense as transfer destinations for Lagway.
There are lots of reasons why Baylor would be a logical pick for Lagway. His father, Derek Lagway, played running back for the Bears in the late 1990s. His family would get to watch him play close to home, two hours away in Waco. Bears offensive coordinator Jake Spavital just developed departing starter Sawyer Robertson into the No. 2 passer in FBS this season with 3,681 passing yards and 31 TDs. Lagway would be a big splash for coach Dave Aranda and a program that badly needs some positive momentum. If the Bears can afford to get involved with a QB of his caliber, Lagway would be a no-brainer.
Lane Kiffin and the new staff at LSU are hunting for an elite QB1 in the portal and should have plenty to choose from for Year 1. Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt is one potential target for the Tigers, and there’s always the possibility that Kiffin could try to bring in one of his QBs from Ole Miss. But Kiffin has gone head-to-head with Florida in each of the past two seasons and seriously considered taking the Florida job, so there’s no doubt he has already made an evaluation of Lagway.
Kiffin watched the true freshman throw for 180 yards and two TDs in a 24-17 upset of Ole Miss in 2024, and Lagway took a lead into the fourth quarter in Oxford this season. Lagway finished No. 2 nationally in yards per attempt (10.0) behind Jaxson Dart last year. Kiffin reposting the news that Lagway is entering the portal on social media Monday morning was probably just intended to troll the Gators, but we’ll see if he’s interested.
Yes, you read that right: Clemson. The Tigers were a finalist for Lagway and Clemson was one of his favorite visits during his high school recruitment. Coach Dabo Swinney tried to make one more last-minute push for Lagway before he signed with the Gators. Clemson must replace departing senior Cade Klubnik and is expected to at least explore its options in the portal ahead of its offseason competition between Christopher Vizzina and Chris Denson. Don’t be shocked if Swinney is interested in reconnecting with a QB who could be a perfect culture fit for a program that rarely dips into the portal.
The Hurricanes are likely going back to the portal for a third year in a row to find their starting QB after succeeding with Cam Ward and Carson Beck. There were lots of rumors during the season that they were eyeing South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, but Sellers opted to re-sign and stick with the Gamecocks for 2026. Lagway had a rough outing against Miami’s defense back in September, completing 12 of 23 passes for 61 yards in a 26-7 defeat, but Hurricanes coaches are well aware of his upside if he’s put in a better situation next season.
This could be a good move for the Horned Frogs if Josh Hoover elects to enter the transfer portal in January. They’re going through big changes on offense and just brought in new OC Gordon Sammis from UConn to transition toward a more run-balanced attack. TCU still needs to hire a quarterbacks coach, and Hoover hasn’t given an indication that he’s leaning toward leaving. But if he does decide there’s a better opportunity elsewhere, TCU will be looking for an experienced replacement.
