Why Baylor QB DJ Lagway was Named Top Newcomer

Spring football is right around the corner for all of the college teams across the country. Teams will be trying to grow from their 2025 season, but also understand they’re coaching what is in essence, a brand new team.

The Baylor Bears are no different in that regard. Some of their top players from the 2025 season are out the door due to graduation, the transfer portal the NFL Draft, or some combination of the three.

With the transfer portal in mind, every team gets new players from outside the program on a yearly basis. Baylor is no exception.

ESPN recently conducted an exercise where they named the top newcomers for each team in the conference.

Baylor’s answer, was no surprise.

DJ Lagway

Quarterback is the position that rules the sport of football. It doesn’t matter what level of football, if you don’t have a quarterback, your team is in a lot of trouble.

Baylor had a quarterback last year with Sawyer Robertson, who looks set to be picked in the NFL Draft next month.

Unfortunately, since he’s headed for the draft, that means he cannot be under center for the Bears when they hit the field for spring football.

In what is set to be a huge season for head coach Dave Aranda, Baylor went to the transfer portal to find their next quarterback, and they found a legacy bear.

DJ Lagway agreed to transfer to Baylor from Florida, as the son of former Bear, Derek Lagway.

He was named the most important newcomer by ESPN’s Billy Tucker to Baylor’s roster.

Why Lagway?

Baylor needs to replace quarterback Sawyer Robertson (3,681 yards, 31 touchdowns) and a depleted receiving corps after losing its two leading receivers to the NFL draft,” Tucker said.

“Lagway, arguably the most physically gifted quarterback in the transfer portal, is a legacy recruit and former top-five prospect who is returning home to Waco.

"His rare blend of size, mobility and arm strength creates a ceiling few quarterbacks possess. He can drop the ball in the bucket downfield, hit receivers in stride and his quickness allows him to extend plays and take off with his legs when needed. Despite battling multiple injuries at Florida, he flashed elite upside when healthy, like when he completed 21 of 28 passes for 298 yards in an upset win over Texas. Other weeks, his inconsistency showed up, like his five-interception performance against LSU. With 19 career starts (13 against SEC competition), he brings proven experience against elite competition.”

That experience that Tucker mentions is something that could allow Lagway to hit the ground running, which is absolutely something that the Bears need after coming off a terrible season in 2025.

What to Expect

Expectations locally are going to be through the roof for Lagway, but Tucker did his best to temper expectations.

“Think of him as a Power 4 version of USF's Byrum Brown -- explosive but inconsistent. Spavital has maximized diverse talents such as Robertson, Geno Smith and Kyler Murray, and Baylor's explosive late-2025 surge proves the offensive infrastructure works,” Tucker said.

However, Lagway faces the challenge of building chemistry with an entirely new receiving corps while operating under pressure and perhaps his last chance to resurrect his career. The upside is transformational. If Lagway stays healthy and harnesses his elite physical tools, he could single-handedly restore Baylor to Big 12 contention.”

Restoring Baylor to Big 12 contention is exactly what the Bears are paying for. They expect to compete at the top of the conference, and are certainly hoping that the addition of a dynamic quarterback can help get them back where they feel they belong.

Make no mistake about it, Lagway has the weight of Waco on his shoulders.