Is DJ Lagway the Answer for Clemson at Quarterback?

Lagway's upside makes him a trendy yet risky transfer target for Clemson.

Quarterback DJ Lagway considered Clemson during his original recruitment before ultimately choosing the Florida Gators. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

After a bitter 22-10 Pinstripe Bowl defeat to Penn State this past week, the transfer portal is next in line for the Clemson Tigers.

Dabo Swinney and crew profile as a quarterback-needy team heading into 2026. Longtime signal-caller Cade Klubnik just played his final game in orange and white. As the team explores potential options in the transfer portal, one name that stands out is former Florida quarterback DJ Lagway, who considered Clemson during his original recruitment.

Let’s take a look at what Lagway would bring to the Tigers, and my take on his fit.

Lagway’s Career So Far

Coming out of high school, Lagway was as highly-touted as quarterbacks come. The top-ranked QB in the 2024 class had Clemson in his top ten schools back in 2024, before committing to Florida and head coach Billy Napier.

Fast-forward nearly two years, and Napier has been fired in Gainesville. Lagway announced his intentions to transfer two weeks ago.

Lagway began his career with the Gators behind veteran transfer Graham Mertz. When Mertz dealt with a concussion, the true freshman made a successful spot start against Samford, throwing for 456 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-7 Florida victory. Later in the same year, Mertz’s ACL tear allowed Lagway six more games as he finished with a 6-1 record as the starter.

With Lagway under center, the Gators had a complete turnaround, going from 4-5 to 8-5 with upset wins over No. 22 LSU and CFP-hopeful No. 9 Ole Miss. The future seemed bright in Gainesville, as Florida surged to its first eight-win season since 2020 and first bowl win since 2019.

2025 brought a different feeling, as Lagway and the Gators limped to a 4-8 record, including suffering an 18-16 upset loss at home to in-state foe South Florida. Underwhelming results from Lagway and teammates led to UF’s worst record since 2017.

Scouting Report

Lagway is coming off an uneven 2025 campaign that saw him throw for 2,264 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions in 12 games. His 14 interceptions thrown were the second-most in all of college football.

He can make eye-popping throws with excellent arm strength, but mechanics and processing can break down when confidence begins to waver. Look no further than a five-pick outing at LSU in September as evidence.

At his best, Lagway is a future first-round draft pick, but I see him more as a player who needs a complementary system with the right playcaller. At Florida, he quarterbacked in Napier’s offense, which proved to be hit-and-miss against high-level SEC defenses.

Additionally, Lagway has suffered several injuries during his brief college career. Before the 2025 season began, he dealt with a left calf strain. He suffered various other lower-body injuries during his time as a Gator, but never missed a start.

Final Verdict

Although Lagway’s two-year college career has had its share of bumps in the road, I believe he is a quality option for Clemson to add through the transfer portal. Other schools that have been discussed as possibilities include Baylor, Texas Tech, USC, and Miami.

Clemson will likely have to pay a significant amount of money to land the former five-star prospect.

The Tigers were among Lagway’s top ten schools before his commitment to Florida in 2024. Swinney knows that 2025 is a critical season for the Clemson program, and might rely on a recruit he’s already vetted years ago.