Florida QB1 update: Billy Napier gives huge shoutout to DJ Lagway heading into 2025 as potential Heisman contender 

DJ Lagway has positioned himself as the solution for the problems that the Florida Gators have had a quarterback over the last few years. Last season, the freshman replaced the injured (and struggling) Graham Mertz and was able to restore some pride to the Gators.

This year, with Mertz now away from the program, Lagway is the starting quarterback. In his Wednesday interview during SEC Media Days, Florida coach Billy Napier spoke about how they are preparing Lagway for this role.

"We throw the quarterback three times a week, and he continues to do that. He actually had a great session this morning before we left. We feel confident in terms of him being ready to go."

During the 2024 season, DJ Lagway quickly made himself the strongest quarterback on the Gators roster. In the seven games he played that season, he threw for 1,915 yards and 12 touchdowns.

He also threw nine interceptions, but this could be due to his inexperience as a college football quarterback, and it should be reduced this year.

Lagway was able to lift the Gators to six wins in the seven games he started. This included wins over Ole Miss and LSU, two ranked teams.

These wins saved their season and gave Florida a bowl game appearance against Tulane, which they won.

Napier spoke about Lagway's 2024 journey during the SEC Media Days:

"I was most impressed with how he handled (taking over as the starter). The type of teammate that he was. The humility. The character. And, the guy was phenomenal on gameday. ... I thought he grew as a leader."

DJ Lagway comes into the 2025 season as a quarterback with a lot of attention on him. He will need to improve on what he did as a freshman last year, and a bowl game should be the minimum that Florida should be expecting.

A good season this year will lay the foundations for the future, and Lagway (who has two more years of eligibility after this season) could one day lead the Gators to a national championship game.

Can DJ Lagway win the Heisman Trophy?

If things go very well for DJ Lagway this season, there is a chance that he could be in the running for the Heisman Trophy. But, where is he sitting in the bookmakers' odds for the award before the season starts?

According to BetMGM, Lagway has +1800 odds to win the award, the same as Oregon's Dante Moore, Ohio State's Julian Sayin and South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers.

Texas' Arch Manning is the favorite for the award (+600) with LSU's Garrett Nussmeier (+850) as his closest competitor.

Edited by Victor R. Lopez M.