Two college football powerhouses named logical landing spots for DJ Lagway

Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway is officially set to enter the transfer portal following a tumultuous 4-8 season in Gainesville. The former five-star recruit announced his intentions on Monday, just days after the university parted ways with head coach Billy Napier. Lagway, who will likely be the top transfer portal player in the country, departs with two years of eligibility remaining and a desire to join a program that can better utilize his skill set.

The decision comes amid a significant transition for the Florida program. The Gators recently hired Tulane Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall to lead the team, along with Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner.

Despite the fresh leadership, Lagway informed the new staff of his departure before publicly announcing his move. His exit marks the end of a two-year stint where he threw for over 4,000 yards but struggled with consistency, recording 14 interceptions in his sophomore campaign.

Recruiting analysts have already begun identifying potential destinations for the talented signal-caller. On the Wiltfong Whiparound, On3 analyst Steve Wiltfong and host Josh Newberg discussed the Lagway sweepstakes.

While Lagway's high school suitors, such as Texas A&M Aggies and USC Trojans, were once heavily involved, the landscape has shifted. The focus now turns to programs with a proven history of developing transfer quarterbacks into NFL prospects.

Steve Wiltfong Identifies LSU And Miami As Top Contenders

According to Wiltfong, the recruitment battle may center on two premier programs with offensive-minded head coaches: the LSU Tigers and Miami Hurricanes. These schools, along with the Baylor Bears, have emerged as the primary teams to watch.

"Our colleague Pete Nakos reported three schools to keep an eye on for DJ Lagway: LSU, Miami and Baylor," Wiltfong said.

"Lagway's father played his college football at Baylor. It's a home-state school. But if you look at DJ Lagway's high school recruitment, he bet on Florida, bet on himself to help turn the Gators around. I think this time around he makes a decision based on the situation that's going to put him in the best position to blossom as a player."

LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin could replace quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who has no remaining eligibility following his senior season, with DJ Lagway. | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

The connection to LSU is driven by head coach Lane Kiffin. Kiffin has a reputation for revitalizing quarterback careers, most notably with Jaxson Dart at the Ole Miss Rebels.

"You look at Lane Kiffin and what he was able to do at Ole Miss, developing a transfer in Jaxson Dart to a first-round draft pick out of USC," Wiltfong said. "That is something that would be very exciting for DJ Lagway to look at."

Miami offers a similar appeal under its current leadership. The Hurricanes have successfully integrated high-profile transfers like Cam Ward and Carson Beck, turning them into top-tier passers.

Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal has had the luxury of landing big-time quarterbacks in the portal over the last two seasons: Cam Ward in 2024 and Carson Beck in 2025. Could DJ Lagway join the ACC program for 2026? | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

"In Miami, similar track record," Wiltfong said. "You take a guy like Cam Ward, transferred multiple times, finished his career at Miami, plug-and-play, ultimately develops into the number one pick in the NFL Draft. Carson Beck, this year coming over from Georgia, tops the ACC in many categories, including quarterback rating. Both of those situations are advantageous to me if you're any transfer quarterback."

Lagway will officially be eligible to sign with a new program when the transfer portal window opens on Jan. 2.

Steve Wiltfong Identifies LSU And Miami As Top Contenders

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