Florida QB DJ Lagway Enters Portal: Could He Land at Virginia Tech?

Lagway flashed upside in 2024 before a turbulent 2025 campaign.

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway (2) leaves the field after beating Florida State 40-21. | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of the SEC's starting quarterbacks from 2025 is in the transfer portal, opening up a possible route to Virginia Tech. DJ Lagway is transferring from Florida after a rocky up-and-down 2025 campaign.

BREAKING: Florida QB DJ Lagway intends to enter the transfer portal, per @PeteThamel.

The former five-star recruit threw for 2,264 yards in 2025 and has two years of eligibility remaining. pic.twitter.com/wIfpr11q8Y

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 15, 2025

"I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have been part of such an incredible program here at the University of Florida," Lagway posted on his Instagram. "... After much prayer, reflection, and thoughtful consideration, I have decided to enter the transfer portal."

Some statistics:

Lagway was ranked as ESPN's No. 1 dual-threat signal-caller in the 2024 class and assumed the starting spot in his opening campaign with the Gators.

Lagway clocks in at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, showcasing a build roughly akin to this year's Virginia Tech starter, Kyron Drones (6-foot-2, 235 pounds). Last year, Florida won four straight to end the year, including two ranked wins against No. 22 LSU and No. 9 Ole Miss. As a true freshman, Lagway tossed 1,915 passing yards and 12 touchdowns, also putting up 101 yards on the ground,

According to ESPN, Lagway was absent from Florida's spring practice ahead of 2025, though, due to a core muscle surgery and a nagging shoulder injury. That was then exacerbated by a calf issue in July that restrained him from participating in 11-on-11 drills until mid-August.

Lagway threw for 2,264 passing yards on a 63.2% completion rate, 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in his sophomore season, accumulating only 136 rushing yards due to those nagging injuries from summer and spring. Florida ultimately finished 4-8, including a 2-6 in-conference record, and head coach Billy Napier was dismissed after a 3-4 start.

My thoughts:

Lagway appears to me to be a high-medium-upside, low-floor quarterback. I think he'd fare OK at Miami, another Florida school that will require a new quarterback with Carson Beck having exhausted his eligibility. Making a move, akin to what Jayden Daniels did from Arizona State to LSU, makes sense.

On that note, LSU could be an option, though Lagway could have to contend with other transfers for the starting job if the Tigers elect to go outside their existing talent pool. Louisville is another school in need of a quarterback, with Miller Moss out of eligibility. Ditto for Clemson, who was one of the finalists for Lagway coming out of high school and needs a new quarterback to take over for Cade Klubnik.

Overall, I don't think Virginia Tech and Lagway are a fit that would mesh well together. The dual-threat quarterback experiment hasn't worked out all-too-well for the Hokies recently and a pocket-passer archetype might fit better with Franklin entering town. It's not that Lagway's a bad quarterback; in fact, I think it's far from it. I just don't think Blacksburg is the right fit for him nor is he the right fit for Blacksburg.