CFB analyst backs DJ Lagway for Heisman nomination, predicts 9-3 season for Billy Napier’s Florida

DJ Lagway will take the starting quarterback role at Florida for the 2025 college football season. The former five-star recruit started 2024 as a backup option, but a season-ending injury to starter Graham Mertz saw him lead the Gators' resurgence.

247Sports’ Cooper Petagna believes Lagway will be in the Heisman Trophy conversations in the upcoming season. Looking at the Gators' schedule, the analyst feels there are enough opportunities for the quarterback to impress.

“It falls very much on the heels of Florida's got a gauntlet of a schedule,” Petagna said. “But if Florida's sitting at 9-3 at the end of the day, you're looking at DJ Lagway with some huge opportunities at LSU, at Miami, Texas, Arch Manning, at home.”

“You get Georgia, in Jacksonville, and then you're on the road at Ole Miss. There's some room to make some noise there. I wouldn't be surprised if Florida's a 9-3, 10-2 team, and if that's the case, how can you live in a world where DJ Lagway's not in the Heisman conversation?”

Lagway threw 1,915 yards and 12 touchdowns in his true freshman season in 2024, establishing himself as a force on the Gators’ offense. With many fans expecting Florida to be in a much better place in 2025, the expectation is for the quarterback to return stronger.

Cooper Petagna explains how crucial DJ Lagway is at Florida

The emergence of DJ Lagway was the turning point for Florida last season. The presence of the quarterback in the backfield steadily made the Gators a force to be reckoned with. Cooper Petagna explains how important he is to Billy Napier’s team heading into 2025.

“Here’s the thing, looking at all these guys, I don't know if there's one player that impacts winning more for their individual team than DJ Lagway,” Petagna said.

“There is a lot of concern about him not participating in spring. What is that going to look like? Is he going to be fully healthy by the time he gets ready for OTAs in the fall? For all intents and purposes, that's what we believe is that he will have a clean bill of health.”

Lagway played 12 games for Florida last season, starting seven. He led the Gators to six wins in his seven starts, losing only to Georgia. He left the rivalry game against the Bulldogs in the second quarter with an injury when the Gators led Jacksonville 10-3.