Florida Gators Star Quarterback Announces NIL Deal With Nintendo and Epic Games

The Florida Gators star quarterback announced that he has signed an NIL deal with Nintendo and Epic Games.

Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) passes during warmups at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL on Friday, December 20, 2024 in the 2024 Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl. / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A Florida Gators football star recently announced an NIL deal with two powerhouse companies, a major step forward for the youngster.

Fresh off of his freshman season, Gators quarterback DJ Lagway announced an NIL deal with Nintendo and Epic Games to promote Fortnite and the video game system. Lagway posted a commercial, starring himself, to his social media accounts.

The star signal caller was already a highly-touted player coming out of high school and was a massive land for Billy Napier at Florida. Lagway was a five-star player, the top-rated quarterback and third overall prospect in the nation per 247Sports.

Though he started the 2024 campaign playing backup to Graham Mertz, the freshman was able to take over down the stretch and flashed some of that potential on the field.

Results were mixed overall, but he was still solid for a first-year player.

All-in-all, he completed 59.9% of his passes for 1,915 yards with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions in his freshman campaign.

He flashed big play ability with his legs, but certainly did not rely on it or even lean on them much at all. With sacks taking away most of the yardage, he had 51 attempts for 101 yards.

Reaching a deal with Nintendo and Epic Games is a good sign that Lagway could grow into one of the premier brand-name players in the sport. He isn't the first player they have partnered with, but every one they have is a bonafide star.

The Gators quarterback joins Ohio State Buckeyes wideout Jeremiah Smith and Alabama Crimson Tide phenom Ryan Williams as the players to announce an NIL deal with the companies this offseason alone.

Something all three players have in common is that they are all stars heading into their sophomore campaigns.

Nintendo and Epic Games are clearly targeting the next generation of both football and video game fans with this wave of signings.

For Nintendo, they are ramping up advertising after announced the released of the Nintendo Switch 2 gaming system later this year. It is one of the top platforms used to play the Epic Games hit Fortnite.

In the advertisement that Lagway filmed, he is playing Fortnite's OG Season 1 release on his switch with his little brother.

On3 has Lagway's NIL Valuation sitting at $3.7 million. His portfolio already included Gatorade, Leaf Trading Cards and a number of local Florida charities. He ranks as the seventh-highest value among all college athletes, fourth among college football players and third among quarterbacks.

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