Is Baylor QB DJ Lagway Being Overlooked?
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DJ Lagway has garnered plenty of headlines this offseason and for good reason. Any addition to the quarterback room is going to be met with significant buzz.
That’s before you get into the details of Lagway’s commitment. He’s a former five-star recruit, who is also a legacy recruit.
Lagway’s father played for the Bears during his career, and Lagway likely felt a call to come home when he entered the transfer portal.
Lagway’s commitment was the biggest get for the Bears in the transfer portal. Despite the fanfare in Waco surrounding Lagway’s addition to the roster, that buzz has not registered nationally.
Brett McMurphy of On3 recently put out his top-10 most impactful Big 12 transfers. Lagway’s placement was a little surprising.
Top 10, but 10
Lagway was listed 10th on McMurphy’s list. He was the second ranked quarterback on the list behind Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker.
“If QB Drew Mestemaker isn’t the most hyped signal-caller in Oklahoma State's history, he is easily the most anticipated newcomer. Last season as a freshman at North Texas, Mestemaker put up ridiculous numbers (4,379 yards passing, 34 TD passes) as the Mean Green led the nation in scoring (45.1 points per game). Mestemaker ranks as the nation’s No. 7 overall transfer and No. 2 quarterback, behind only LSU's Sam Leavitt," McMurphy said.
Mestemaker getting ranked ahead of Lagway is not surprising as the above numbers are better than anything Lagway put up a season ago.
As the list was started by a quarterback, it was also capped off with one. Lagway was 10th on the list with McMurphy citing Lagway’s turnover issues from 2025 as a reason he ranked lower on the list.
Not your Usual 5-star
Perhaps this is not a fair assessment. Perhaps, despite the changing landscape of college football, it’s important to remember that players are still developing. They’re still young, and there are a lot of variables to consider.
Despite that, five-star recruits are viewed as top-tier talents for a reason. They are supposed to be sure things. While Lagway has plenty of potential, this is not like Baylor signed Arch Manning or someone of that stature to their roster.
Lagway still has some development that needs to take place, and he needs to prove himself.
Lagway threw 14 interceptions last year, which led the SEC. Lagway’s high school career and his legacy status at Baylor is something worth exploring. There is plenty of talent available, but he needs to be molded.
Is He Being Undervalued?
The answer here is still yes. The gamble on Lagway was worth taking for Dave Aranda and his coaching staff. There is no replacement for a talented quarterback on any roster.
While there are better players on McMurphy’s list in the present, the future development of Lagway could have him skyrocket up a list like this in the future.
If Jake Spavital and the Baylor receivers connect with Lagway, the sky is the limit. That’s what the talent of Lagway can provide.
Will he get there? That’s the multi-million-dollar question that will be on the minds of everyone at Baylor this season.
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Jacob Westendorf is a contributing writer for Baylor Bears on SI. He is also a writer covering the Green Bay Packers for Packers on SI. Westendorf graduated from University of Wisconsin-Green Bay where he earned a degree in communication with an emphasis in journalism and mass media. He worked in newspapers in Green Bay and Rockford, Illinois. He also interned at Packer Report for Bill Huber while earning his degree. In 2018, he became a staff writer for PackerReport.com, and a regular contributor on Packer Report's "Pack A Day Podcast." In 2020, he founded the media company Game On Wisconsin. In 2023, he rejoined Packer Central, which is part of Sports Illustrated Media Group.