$2 million quarterback linked to unexpected college football team via transfer portal

A quarterback who will enter the transfer portal has been connected with an unexpected college football program.

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway (2) leaves the field after beating Florida State 40-21 during an NCAA football game at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 29, Florida beat Florida State 40-21.2025. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun] | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The NCAA transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2, 2026 and stays open for the following two weeks.

In the weeks before the portal opens, hundreds of college football players at all levels have declared their intent to enter the portal. Some noteworthy names include quarterbacks Beau Pribula, Dylan Raiola and Drew Mestemaker.

One of the most intriguing players to declare his intent to enter the transfer portal is former Florida quarterback DJ Lagway. He enters the transfer portal with two seasons of eligibility remaining.

BREAKING: Florida QB DJ Lagway plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, @PeteNakos reports. https://t.co/pSTTZxUus5 pic.twitter.com/JRQvjcvpoo

— On3 (@On3sports) December 15, 2025

Three programs that were immediately linked to Lagway were Baylor, LSU and Miami. His father, Derek Lagway, played quarterback for Baylor from 1997 to 2001. Lane Kiffin is in search of a transfer quarterback for his first season at LSU, and each of Miami's last two quarterbacks has been a portal acquisition.

Another school was added to the mix on Thursday, when it was reported that Louisville was showing growing interest in Lagway. The current NIL valuation for Lagway sits at $2 million.

Malik Cunningham was the last quarterback Louisville started that it recruited out of high school. That means no starting quarterback in the Jeff Brohm era has come from anywhere else but the transfer portal.

Brohm brought in his former Purdue quarterback, Jack Plummer, from California to start on his 2023 team. The Cardinals again grabbed a quarterback from the transfer portal in 2024 with former Oregon and Texas Tech quarterback Tyler Shough. Former USC quarterback Miller Moss is the Cardinals' 2025 starter.

Nov 29, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) gestures before the snap against the Florida State Seminoles during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Lagway arrived in Florida in 2024, initially as a backup to Graham Mertz for the Gators. When Mertz suffered a concussion in a loss to Miami, Lagway started the following week against Samford. He threw for 456 yards and three touchdowns in the 45-7 win.

Billy Napier made the decision to play Mertz two out of every three possessions and Lagway on the third when Mertz returned for the Gators' SEC opener against Texas A&M. This only lasted four games as an ACL tear sidelined Mertz for the final six games of the season.

Lagway suffered a hamstring injury in the Gators' game against Georgia that season, but he returned for their game against LSU. He finished the 2024 season with 1,915 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Florida finished 4-8 in Lagway's lone full season as its starter. He compiled 2,264 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions to go along with 136 yards and a touchdown on the ground.