Is Baylor's DJ Lagway Next in Line For a Dante Moore-Style Breakout in 2026?

If DJ Lagway can take a similar leap as Dante Moore, Baylor will be in good shape.

DJ Lagway and Jadon Porter celebrating a score in Spring Ball | @BUFootball on X

After suffering through a 5-7 season in 2025 and losing its star quarterback Sawyer Robertson to graduation, Baylor made the move to go all in on a former top-five player. After two seasons with the Florida Gators, DJ Lagway opted to enter the transfer portal and head back home and sign with the Bears.

The Willis (TX) native signed with Florida in the 2024 recruiting class and saw immediate action on the field. Lagway's play forced him onto the field as a true freshman, but a rocky sophomore season has people wondering if he will ever live up to his five-star billing.

However, you don't have to look very far in the sports world to see a similar comparison, and if Lagway's transition to Baylor is as seamless as it was for another former five-star — the Bears hit the jackpot.

Dante Moore needed a change

It's not a flawless comparison, nor is it truly parallel, but Lagway and Dante Moore's journeys have a lot of similarities.

Moore, like Lagway, was a must-get prospect and a top-five player in his class. Moore was the No. 5 ranked player in the 2023 recruiting class, and spurned home-state favorite Michigan Wolverines to head West and play for UCLA — sound familiar?

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Moore was full of talent and he played early on as a true freshman. However, nothing went as planned for Moore.

The Detroit, Michigan product threw for 1610 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions as a true freshman for the Bruins in nine games of action. UCLA was already in a bad state of a program, such was Florida when Lagway went there.

Moore's transition season led to a bench role

The one stark difference between Moore and Lagway is that once Moore opted to enter the transfer portal, he landed at Oregon, and had to sit one season behind Dillon Gabriel. The now Cleveland Brown was a fantastic collegiate quarterback, and it's safe to assume Moore learned a lot behind Gabriel, while getting one season to learn Oregon's playbook.

Lagway isn't going to have the same situation in Waco. He is coming into Baylor as the starting quarterback, and someone the fanbase is relying on to lead the Bears back to the promised land.

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While Lagway has been on the field in both seasons, he wasn't the full starter his freshman season. Which means there was some learning going on behind the scenes.

Moore was in a better situation going into Oregon, playing for a national championship-contending team, but Lagway possesses similar tools as Moore, with an ability to run. We've seen top-flight QBs take some time to mature and a change of scenery is never a bad thing. If Lagway can unleash his full potential in Waco, Baylor has more than a chance to compete in 2026.