$2 million QB's 'red flag' called out after transfer portal decision

Transfer portal football players are always a challenge to evaluate. Some players are essentially finished products, others are just developing, and some are a fascinating mixture of the two. On some occasions, top prospects haven't developed at one school at the speed anticipated. Does that mean a prospect like that is damaged goods... or just needs a new landing spot and fresh coaching?

The Portal QB Class

In the current portal QB class, players like Sam Leavitt and Brendan Sorsby are basically finished products. Notre Dame's Kenny Minchey is highly touted, but hasn't really seen the field. But there is one player who is something of an enigma. Despite five-star hype and massive tools, Florida QB DJ Lagway has struggled. Tagged with a $2 million NIL value by On3, Lagway's production hasn't equaled his skill set.

McElroy's take on Lagway

Greg McElroy addressed the dilemma of Lagway on Always College Football.

When you look at just the physical measurables that you want when putting together a top level quarterback in college football, D.J. Lagway is kind of a runaway winner when it comes to all these talented portal possibilities.... D.J. Lagway is a difficult study because he's got all the talent. He's had tons of success at times and he's rare. He's very, very rare. But with that rare talent does come a decent dose of volatility.... [T]he big red flag was the decision making under pressure, the interceptions, and now over the course of his career, two seasons, he's got 23 picks in two years.... [H]e's got a crazy high ceiling. He also is a bit of a gamble.
Greg McElroy

Lagway's Issues

Lagway's two seasons at Florida have been veritable studies in inconsistency. His career totals of 28 touchdowns to 23 interceptions are not very good, but even worse is the fact that much of Lagway's success came against weaker competition. In SEC play, he threw for 15 touchdowns against 17 interceptions. His yards per passing attempt dipped from 10.0 yards per pass attempt as a freshman in 2024 to just 6.7 in 2025.

Likely Next Spots for Lagway

That said, a reported laundry list of top programs are eager to latch onto Lagway's massive potential. Baylor, LSU, and Miami have been identified as likely landing spots for the talented QB with two years of remaining eligibility. The Texas native figures to get another shot at college football's highest level, but that red flag identified by McElroy will still have to be addressed.