Lagway among college football's top-tier QBs, per The Athletic

Yahoo

3 days ago

Expectations are high for Florida quarterback DJ Lagway as he enters his sophomore season, but could the Gators really have one of the best signal callers in all of college football?
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.
This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida football DJ Lagway, SEC QBs on The Athletic tier list