Quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] signed with Florida as one of the top-ranked recruits in the class of 2024. However, Gator Nation expected to see him sparingly as a true freshman with sixth-year college veteran Graham Mertz ahead of him on the depth chart.
Instead, Mertz went down with a concussion in Week 1 and opened the door for Lagway to get his first career start. The “rookie,” as head coach Billy Napier likes to say, shined brighter than most could even dream. He ended his first full game with more than 450 passing yards and three touchdowns.
It’s unclear how much Lagway will be on the field moving forward, especially if Mertz gets back to full health, but it’s quite evident that he’s one of the best first-year players in the country.
ESPN agreed with that statement by ranking Lagway fifth among all true freshmen through Week 2.
“It took only one start for the top-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the 2024 class to make this list,” ESPN RecruitingNation coordinator Billy Tucker wrote.
“Acknowledging Florida was playing a lower-level opponent in Samford, Lagway made the throws of a seasoned QB. He showed both timing and accuracy in leading receivers in stride for huge plays all night, throwing for 456 yards, a Gators record for a true freshman, and also moved around the pocket and created plays with his legs.
“Last year’s National High School Football Gatorade Player of the Year gives Gators fans reason for optimism.”
Napier has said that Lagway will continue to see the field, but Mertz is still the team’s starter on paper. If Lagway can keep up that kind of play against SEC teams, the hope is that he’ll get more and more snaps, regardless of Mertz’s health.
If Lagway can play regularly, he may have a chance to stay on this list for the rest of the season.
Other freshmen balling out in 2024
Topping the list is Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, a South Florida talent who was once linked to the Gators and Lagway. All parties involved in that failed recruitment by Florida have to be thinking “What if?” at this point. A transfer from Smith seems unlikely, but never say never…
The only other quarterback ahead of Lagway on this list is Nebraska‘s Dylan Raiola, the top-ranked pocket passer from the class of 2024. At one point, Raiola was committed to Georgia, but he flipped before signing day. That decision may rob SEC fans of a future matchup between the two, one that would have pitted the two most prominent quarterback styles against each other.
At No. 3 is the first defensive player on the list, South Carolina defensive end Dylan Stewart. He looks like a seasoned pass rusher and should be one of the most dominant edge guys in college football this year.
Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams scored twice in the season opener against Western Kentucky and landed at No. 4 on the list. He has world-class speed on the track, and he’s putting it to good use on the turf in Tuscaloosa.
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