SEC coach hails Florida’s DJ Lagway as $6.6M NIL-valued Arch Manning’s biggest competitor

An anonymous SEC coach has high praise for Florida Gators starting quarterback DJ Lagway.

Lagway is entering his second year as the starting QB in Florida, as he started as a freshman. Entering 2025, he has plenty of hype, and one coach believes he will compete with Arch Manning, who has a $6.6 million NIL valuation, according to On3, as the SEC's best quarterback.

"Lagway could compete with Arch for best QB in the league," an anonymous coach told Athlon Sports.

It's high praise for Lagway, but oddsmakers don't seem to agree with the coach. Lagway enters the season tied for 10th in Heisman odds at +2500, which trails SEC quarterbacks Manning, Garrett Nussemier and LaNorris Sellers, and is tied with Gunner Stockton.

Lagway went 115-for-192 for 1,915 yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 101 yards.

Another anonymous SEC coach also praised Lagway, saying he's the key to Florida's success this season.

"Lagway and that offensive line are legit enough to bring back a true ‘Florida offense.’ If they can be in the hunt for a playoff bid and start scoring points like those old Gator programs, I think he’ll be off the hot seat for a while," a coach said.

Lagway was a five-star recruit and the top-ranked quarterback in the class of 2024.

Gators' QB coach praises DJ Lagway's leadership

The Florida Gators enter 2025 with some expectations of competing for a playoff spot in the second year of DJ Lagway at quarterback.

Lagway, when he was healthy, showed flashes of being great. Florida's QB coach, Ryan O'Hara, is impressed with Lagway and his leadership ability.

"His leadership, I think, is going to the next level," O'Hara said, via 247Sports. "He's becoming more vocal this year, you know, because he kind of transitioned into that role when he became a full-time starter last year. But now he's not afraid to get on guys, whether it's good and bad, and he's having those conversations in between racks with people.

"You know, he's coaching them up, and he's really taking the next step in terms of his leadership and just his own quarterback development. I think he's been really good."

Lagway battled injuries in 2025, but Florida coach Billy Napier says he's healthy and on schedule to be ready for the start of the season.

Florida opens its 2025 college football season on Aug. 30 against LIU.