Lagway among college football's top-tier QBs, per The Athletic
The Athletic's Grace Raynor may have answered that question while seeking clarification on her greater concern, whether the SEC features the best quarterbacks in the sport or not. A tier list of the nation's quarterbacks released earlier in the month prompted Raynor's deep dive. The SEC has five Tier 1 quarterbacks, more than double the number of those in the ACC and Big 12 conferences.
An ACC quarterback, Clemson's Cade Klubnik, tops the list, but four SEC quarterbacks follow, finishing with Lagway at No. 5. Arch Manning is separated from the rest of the pack at No. 10, but he's still considered a Tier 1 quarterback. It's a blowout win for the SEC, but everyone has to live up to those expectations.
Raynor poses the question: "Can 5-star recruits turn potential into reality?" Two of the highest-profile names at the position haven't played all that much. Lagway started just seven games last year, and Manning is finally set to take over the Texas offense after spending two years as Quinn Ewers' backup. If both live up to the hype, they could battle for a Heisman at some point.
"Lagway, who flashed immense potential in an inconsistent debut season, may have coach Billy Napier's fate in his hands," she adds.
The other Tier 1 quarterbacks on The Athletic's list are already proven. Arkansas and LSU are returning Heisman-caliber starters in Garret Nussmeier and LaNorris Sellers, respectively. Oklahoma picked up John Mateer, who wowed everyone at Washington State as a dual threat.
"(Lagway) started the second half of the season, and though he made his share of freshman mistakes, he showed why he was so highly regarded, capping the year with a 300-yard performance and bowl game MVP honors," reads the tier list report from Sam Khan Jr. and Antonio Morales. "He displayed elite arm talent, good mobility and poise beyond that of a typical true freshman. His size and strength helped him keep plays alive. With Lagway behind center, the future is bright in Gainesville."
Yes, Lagway is considered one of the best quarterbacks in the game, but there's an asterisk next to that distinction that the Nussmeier and Sellers types don't have. A lower-body injury could slow his start, and public opinion moves fast. A lot is riding on Lagway's performance this year, but most seem to believe that he'll live up to the task.
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
15 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Braves Suffer Another Major Loss Amid Poor Season
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Atlanta Braves have had a disastrous season. From the early suspension of free agent addition Jurickson Profar to all five of Atlanta's starting pitchers on the Opening Day roster hitting the injured list at some point this season, everything has gone wrong. One of the lone bright spots was the return of Atlanta's superstar right fielder and former MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. The excitement of watching Acuña in during a down season may have come to a screeching halt on Tuesday. KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 29: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves pulls on his jersey as he leaves the game in the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium... KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 29: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves pulls on his jersey as he leaves the game in the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on July 29, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. MoreAcuña left in the sixth inning of Tuesday's game with what was later announced by the team as right Achillies tightness. It has already been announced by Braves beat writer Mark Bowman that Acuña is being placed on the injured list but that may not be the worst of the news. In another post from Bowman, he reported that Acuña felt some discomfort during Monday's game and still pushed to be in the lineup on Tuesday. Bowman said that Acuña was holding back tears during his postgame interview, and he was seen leaving the stadium in a walking boot. Acuña held back tears as he talked after tonight's game. He said he'll be further evaluated (likely MRI) tomorrow. He felt discomfort when he scored from first on Monday. He lobbied to play today because in his mind he had missed too much time already this season. — Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 30, 2025 Acuña is scheduled to undergo further testing on Wednesday and if the injury turns out to be as serious as it seems, it will truly be the final breaking point for Atlanta during its horrendous season. Any sliver of hope that the Braves organization had at making one final push toward a wild-card spot would be out the window. It may be a signal to Atlanta's front office to go into complete sell mode and look past next season and begin to plan for 2027 and beyond. Certainly, most baseball fans hope Acuña has a minimal stay on the IL and the injury is not nearly as serious as it sounds. He is undoubtedly one of the games most exciting players and another extended period of time without him on the diamond would be a shame. More MLB: Braves Receive Ozzie Albies Update Amid Trade Speculation For Infielder
New York Post
43 minutes ago
- New York Post
Luis Robert Jr., a potential Mets' deadline target, would love to play for winner: ex-teammate
SAN DIEGO — If the Mets decide Luis Robert Jr. represents an enticing upgrade in center field, they would be betting on his upside — an MVP candidate as recently as 2023 who has slugged 38 home runs in a season and won a Gold Glove. They would be betting on their own coaching staff, whom they would trust to elevate Robert's game back toward the vicinity of what it was. Advertisement And they would be betting that a talented player leaving a losing team in Chicago and joining a contender on a coast would help Robert — who turns 28 on Sunday — unlock a better version of himself. That kind of fresh start can help, reports someone who would know. 'I think there's something to it,' Padres outfielder/first baseman/DH Gavin Sheets said. 'Obviously, [Robert is] a tremendous player. I can't speak for him. I don't know what the situation is over there.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Where can the Reds find a bat at the trade deadline? Their roster flexibility could help
CINCINNATI — Just as the Cincinnati Reds' front office is trying to get creative by searching for starting pitching to help its bullpen, the search for a right-handed bat isn't limited to the outfield. The Reds could take a look at just about any position to add some offense and then use their positional flexibility to fit a bat into the lineup, partly in a response to the way the roster was constructed and also because there aren't too many natural fits on the trade market. Advertisement Though some deals have been finished around Major League Baseball, the trade market has yet to heat up leading into Thursday's 6 p.m. ET deadline. The Reds' needs are obvious: a boost to the offense, especially against left-handed pitching, and bullpen help. The scarcity of goods to fill demand could drag the real movement until the final hours. Players will be moved, but the difference-makers seem to be few and far between, driving up demand. Here's a look at some of the players the Reds could look to add to their lineup with their ranking on the latest version of The Athletic's MLB trade deadline Big Board. The Reds have used 10 players in the designated hitter spot through 107 games. Ozuna, 34, has played just two games in the field over the last three seasons. He finished fourth in National League MVP voting last season, hitting 39 home runs with 104 RBIs. A free agent after the season, Ozuna was hitting just .233/.361/.393 with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs in 96 games entering Tuesday. Ozuna has 289 home runs in his 13 seasons in the big leagues and was a player the Reds had interest in before he signed with the Atlanta Braves ahead of the 2020 season. The Reds signed Nick Castellanos instead. Ozuna has full no-trade rights as a veteran with at least 10 years of service time and at least the last five with the same team. Great American Ball Park would be a nice place for him to build his value heading into free agency, but any trade would still have to get his OK. Ozuna also served a 20-game suspension in 2021 after his arrest on domestic violence charges, which were later dropped after he entered a diversion program. The 31-year-old has another year of team control. Ward is on a one-year deal worth $7.83 million and is arbitration-eligible for the final time this offseason. Entering Tuesday's game, he's hitting .232/.308/.491 with 25 home runs. He has a career .284/.353/.467 slash line against left-handers, and he is hitting .267/.337/.587 against lefties this season. Advertisement The 31-year-old is on a one-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles with a $6.5 million club option for 2026. Laureano was hitting .279/.341/.526 with 15 home runs before Tuesday's games. Laureano has a .918 OPS against right-handers this season and a .771 OPS against lefties. A two-time All-Star, García went from one of the most feared hitters in the game to just a guy over the last two seasons. He hit 39 home runs in 2023 and has 39 home runs going into Tuesday's game in 2024 and 2025 combined. García is in the second year of a two-year, $14 million deal and is arbitration-eligible for the final time next year. García also has reverse splits this season, with a .517 OPS against lefties and .716 against right-handers. He's a free agent after the season, and the White Sox might actually trade him before the deadline after holding on to the 2023 All-Star. This offseason, the White Sox asked for a return that would indicate he was the 2023 version of Robert, who hit 38 home runs, instead of the 14-homer outfielder he was last season. This year, the story has been similar for Robert, who is hitting just .205/.292/.348 with 11 home runs entering Tuesday. He does have a career-high 26 stolen bases and is still a good defender in center field. The White Sox have a $20 million option on Robert for 2026, and according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the White Sox will exercise that option if they don't trade him and gamble that sum that he will do what he hasn't the last two years — hit. Kwan doesn't exactly fit what the Reds are looking for, but he can hit. Kwan, 27, is an excellent defender in left field and is hitting .287/.351/.411 with nine home runs this season, and he has two years of arbitration remaining. Because of all those factors, he would command a higher price tag, and the Cleveland Guardians' biggest incentive to move him is whether there's a deal too good to pass by. A free agent after the season, the 30-year-old Mullins was signed to a one-year deal worth $8.73 million this season. His numbers have dipped this year, and he put up just a .221/.301/.420 line heading into Tuesday's game. But he does have 15 home runs — more than any Reds player, save Elly De La Cruz. Mullins, though, has hit lefties this season (.289/.392/.458). Advertisement The most telling thing about the pursuit of Suárez is that all three teams he's played with before he was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks — the Detroit Tigers, Reds and Seattle Mariners — have been connected with him. The Reds could have him play third base every day and move Noelvi Marte to the outfield. That said, he's the most popular girl at the dance, and though Suárez would likely welcome a return to Cincinnati, he's not in control of where he goes. The Reds could certainly be outbid for Suárez, who is in the final year of the contract he signed with the Reds before the 2018 season. O'Hearn is a left-handed-hitting first baseman, two things the Reds aren't exactly looking for. But he is an upgrade to the offense, entering Tuesday with a .284/.375/.452 slash line and 12 home runs. O'Hearn, 32, has been much better against right-handed pitchers, with a .869 OPS against right-handers and a .630 OPS against lefties before Tuesday's game. In his 10 games between his All-Star appearance, he's hit just .267/.303/.400. (Top photo of Terry Francona: Jeff Dean / Getty Images)
