DJ Lagway named one of the most ‘interesting college football people’

Right now, the eyes of Gator Nation are on quarterback DJ Lagway, who is battling an injury ahead of the 2025 season. And UF fans aren’t the only ones tracking him. So are fans from other programs and, of course, the national media. For good reason. The program’s turnaround last season happened with Lagway in the starting lineup.

The Athletic has named college football’s 25 most interesting people and Lagway is on the list. Here’s what Joe Rexrode wrote about UF’s sophomore signal caller:

DJ Lagway, QB, Florida

Unfortunately, some of the intrigue relates to Lagway’s preseason injuries, and he’s had a few of them dating to the hamstring he pulled last season against Georgia. That’s the only game the Gators lost with him as a starter, winning the other six, and there’s plausible hope that he can turn the Gators into a Playoff contender and cement Billy Napier as the long-term answer in Gainesville. He’s a potentially special player. But he has to play. In less than a month, it’s Florida at LSU, at night.

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Lagway currently is dealing with a calf injury. Meanwhile, he didn’t throw during practice due to what coach Billy Napier called a lower body/shoulder injury. Lagway did not take part in either of the Gators’ two scrimmages this preseason. Nonetheless, there is optimism he will be back to 100 percent health in the near future. But will he be ready for Week 1 vs. Long Island?

As a true freshman last season, Lagway threw for 1,915 yards, 12 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, starting seven games after veteran Graham Mertz went down with a torn ACL. The Gators went 6–1 with Lagway starting, closing on a four-game win streak — all while he played through a hamstring injury.

DJ Lagway wasn’t the SEC’s only QB on The Athletic’s list

You can find the full list from The Athletic here, but here are some other notable people on the list of the most interesting people in college football, followed by a comment from Rexrode.

—Arch Manning, Texas, QB: What if Arch Manning is just really good? Or anywhere in between “the clear No. 1 pick in whichever draft he chooses to enter” and “the bust of busts?”

—Dave Portnoy, analyst, Fox: Portnoy comes across as mean, self-aggrandizing and preoccupied with insulting Ohio State (he’s a Michigan fan). Fox must want more than that.

—Greg Sankey, SEC commissioner: If the college football universe were “Star Wars,” Sankey would be Darth Vader. Yes, he’s a villain — especially if you don’t want NCAA Tournament expansion — but he wins a lot, he fits into the universe and deep down there’s the heart of someone who used to fight for the little guy.

—Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt: “Pavia is out here talking about winning a national championship and declaring Clark Lea’s program is “gonna run Tennessee” in the future. This has to be such unfamiliar fun for Vanderbilt fans.”

—Bill Belichick, head coach, North Carolina: “What will a 73-year-old legendary NFL coach who has never worked in college football do with a perennially underwhelming college football program?”