"You don't love it" - CFB insider predicts if DJ Lagway could lead Florida Gators to CFP after missing spring practice

DJ Lagway is poised to be the undisputed starting quarterback for the Florida Gators in the 2025 college football season. The highly rated shot caller will look to guide the Gators to their first CFP appearance in a while.

However, doubts about Lagway's durability have been cast as he missed a significant part of spring practice due to a shoulder injury. So, with the new collegiate football season around the corner, CFB insider J. D. PicKell predicted that Lagway can lead the Gators to the playoffs after missing practice. He said on the On3 Sports YouTube channel,

"I am feening for some good DJ Lagway intel around fall camp because as much as you get excited about last year, there's a part of you that says 'Okay, I love that, I think that's real' but it has to be built upon."

PicKell continued,

"We keep saying this: it's the preview to the movie. The preview was awesome, like count me in, because I'm there buying a ticket. I might even be in the midnight premiere for this movie. But I'm just saying, the preview still has to equate to a good movie, and that's all we can do right now.

"So, for DJ Lagway, now missing spring practice, you don't love it. You need him to get healthy to build on what he did last year. If he builds on what last year was, then Florida is going to be in that mix for the college football playoffs."

He concluded,

"That's not me selling hope, that's not me looking for click bait. That's just the reality."

J. D. PicKell is a fan of the Florida Gators and their star quarterback, entering his second collegiate football season. However, his caveat is that DJ Lagway must prove his fitness before the season opener.

The Florida Gators have loads of potential, but they'll need consistency and health from their shot caller. The CFB landscape is competitive, and games are won or lost by close margins.

DJ Lagway aims to build on an impressive 2024

DJ Lagway played in 12 games as a true freshman, with seven coming as starts. He went 6-1 in the games he started, and amassed a stat line of 1,915 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He played his part in helping the Gators record a winning record and a Gasparilla Bowl Game win.

Lagway's sophomore season won’t be easy, as opposing defensive coordinators would have watched his tape and analyzed his primary moves. That means he'll be tasked with creating more unique ways to carve out opponents and guiding his team to victory.

Some of the Gators' trickiest regular-season games are vs. the LSU Tigers, Miami Hurricanes, Texas Longhorns, Georgia Bulldogs, Tennessee Volunteers and Florida State Seminoles. The team will need Lagway and Co. to perform their best to make this playoff goal possible. It all starts with the season opener against Long Island University.