College Football HQ

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway makes history with high-profile NIL deal

Gators' sophomore star adds footwear deal with Nike's Jordan Brand to his diverse portfolio
Michael Ehrlich|
Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) shakes hands with fans during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 16, 2024. The Gators defeated the Tigers 27-16.
Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) shakes hands with fans during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 16, 2024. The Gators defeated the Tigers 27-16. | Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Florida Gators

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway etched his name in the record books on the field a season ago - with the most wins as a true freshman since Chris Leak - and his new NIL partnership makes history off of the field with a worldwide footwear brand.

The sophomore sensation has signed with Nike's Jordan Brand - becoming their first NIL quarterback - joining the likes of Jalen Hurts and Dak Prescott on the NFL side. Lagway's NIL counterparts include Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch, UCLA guard Kiki Rice and Rutgers guard Kiyomi McMiller.

Lagway now also becomes the first college athlete from a Jordan-sponsored school to sign with the brand. The quarterback and Jordan Brand announced the partnership with a collaboration post on Instagram ahead of the Gators' season-opener on Aug. 30.

MORE: Arizona State duo Sam Leavitt, Jordyn Tyson team up on NIL sneaker deal

Taking over for Graham Mertz last season, Lagway now begins his sophomore campaign as QB1 and is featured on watch lists for such awards as the Davey O'Brien, Walter Camp, Wuerffel Trophy and Maxwell, among others.

Lagway played in 12 games as a freshman, throwing for 1,915 yards and 12 touchdowns with the top passing rating amongst all true freshmen. Off of the field, he has established himself - alongside NETWORK CEO Justin J. Giangrande - as one of the top returning athletes in NIL featuring partnerships with the likes of Chipotle, Beats by Dre, EA Sports, and T-Mobile. among others. Additionally, the Heisman candidate was recently named one of the most marketable athletes of the Fall sports season by athlete marketing intelligence platform Out2Win.

The No. 11 Gators and Lagway kick off the season on Aug. 30 when they host Long Island University.

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Published
Michael Ehrlich
MICHAEL EHRLICH

Michael Ehrlich is a seasoned sports marketing executive with experience across the global sports brand, athlete representation, media and education sides of the business. The Founder and CEO of Playbook Marketing, Ehrlich consults with brands on all things NIL and athlete partnerships, advises student-athletes on their personal brand building endeavors and is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of Southern California where he teaches a course on athlete communications and marketing. As a writer, his previous bylines include Boardroom, Business of College Sports, DIME Magazine and UPROXX, among others. You can follow him across social media at @MichaelEhrlich and reach out via michael@playbook-marketing.com

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