Paul Finebaum ditches SEC QB from 2025 Heisman contenders list and it's not Florida's DJ Lagway

College football analyst and insider Paul Finebaum stopped one SEC quarterback as a Heisman contender.

The SEC has several impact quarterbacks who are in the running for the Heisman. The names include Arch Manning and Garrett Nussmeier, among others.

But, some darkhorses include DJ Lagway and Marcel Reed of Texas A&M. However, according to Finebaum, he doesn't view Reed as a legit Heisman contender.

"I didn't see enough from Marcel last year overall, yeah, in individual moments like the LSU game, some of the earlier games in the season, he was sensational," Finebaum said on his show, via Athlon Sports. "Can he do that consistently is my question.

Reed went 147-for-240 for 1,864 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. He was a freshman quarterback who had mixed results, but Finebaum isn't sure that he will take the next step.

Currently, Reed has the 16th-best odds of winning the Heisman at +1600, which implies a 5.9%.

DJ Lagway, meanwhile, is tied for the eighth-best odds of winning the Heisman at +2000.

Currently, the top 10 in Heisman odds are as follows:

• Arch Manning, Texas, QB, +700
• Garrett Nussmeier, LSU, QB +900
• Cade Klubnik, Clemson, QB, +1000
• Jeremiah Smith, WR, Texas State, +1200
• Julian Sayian, QB, Ohio State, +1500
• Drew Allar, QB, Penn State, +1600
• LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina, +1800
• Dante Moore, QB, Oregon, +2000
• DJ Lagway, QB, Florida, +2000
• Carson Beck, QB, Miami, +2500

Gators coach heaps praise on DJ Lagway

DJ Lagway enters 2025 with high expectations after a very successful rookie season.

Lagway is a dual-threat quarterback and entering 2025, Gators QB coach Ryan O'Hara has a ton of praise for his starting QB.

"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 did deal with injuries last season, so the goal for Florida is to keep him healthy.

Lagway and Florida open their 2025 college football season on Aug. 30 against LIU.

Edited by Cole Shelton