Florida Gators 2025 Position Preview: Quarterbacks
There are fewer than 50 days until the Florida Gators kick off their 2025 college football season. Florida is coming off an 8-5 season last year, finishing on a four-game winning streak.
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Now, with head coach Billy Napier heading into his fourth year in Gainesville, the Florida faithful are expecting big things from the Gators, including hopes of a College Football Playoff birth.
This quest for postseason glory starts at the quarterback position. While there is not much doubt about who the starter will be, as there is no battle for the top of the depth chart, the way the rest of Florida's quarterbacks shape out will be very interesting to watch.
Oct 19, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Aidan Warner (16) and Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) smile after a game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images© Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
Star sophomore DJ Lagway is the undisputed starter at the signal-caller position for the Gators this fall. After taking over for an injured Graham Mertz last year, Lagway shined for quarterbacks coach Ryan O'Hara and Florida.
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Lagway was a five-star recruit and the No. 1 quarterback in the country coming out of Willis High School in Texas prior to his freshman year, per 247Sports. In 2024, Lagway completed 59.9% of his passes for 1,915 yards and 12 touchdowns with nine interceptions. These impressive numbers led to a selection on the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Team.
Coming off a shoulder injury that kept him from throwing during Florida's spring game, Lagway will look to improve his 6-1 record as a starter in 2025.
After Lagway at the top of the depth chart, there are questions about who will be the Gators' backup. The battle for the No. 2 spot will be between graduate transfer Harrison Bailey and redshirt sophomore Aidan Warner.
Bailey comes to Florida after stops with Tennessee, UNLV and Louisville. In his career, the Marietta, Georgia, native has completed 108 of his 171 passes for 1,190 yards and 10 scores with three interceptions. Bailey played in five games last year with the Cardinals, including a start in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, in which he threw for 164 yards and three touchdowns.
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Warner was Florida's third-string going into 2024 after transferring from Yale, but injuries to Mertz and Lagway gave him opportunities to play in six games, including making a start against the Texas Longhorns. Warner completed 42% of his passes for 228 yards and three interceptions without a touchdown in those appearances.
Based on experience and the way the two competed during spring practices, it seems like Bailey is leaning toward becoming Lagway's backup, but only time will tell.
With the future of Florida's football program lying in the hands of Lagway, there are lots of expectations for the sophomore and this position group going into 2025.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
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