Friday Night Notes: Who’s the top QB in 2024, Florida’s dominance and more

Latest recruiting news from around the country—from the Class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school football recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.

This week we will look ahead to the recruiting class of 2024, beginning with some of the top quarterback prospects. One of them is Derek Lagway Jr. (DJ) from Willis (Texas), who is currently ranked No. 6 at his position and 44th nationally by 247Sports.

Even though he’s only entering his junior high school season, Lagway has no shortage of suitors. So far, he has 32 offers on deck – including one from Texas A&M, where he’ll make his first official fall visit this weekend.

Lagway (6-foot-3, 222 pounds) is coming off a breakout 2021 campaign, showcasing his dual-threat ability. He totaled 17 passing touchdowns plus six more as a rusher.

He got the new season off to a strong start, going 21-28 for 343 yards and six touchdowns in last week’s game.

The Aggies will open their 2022 football season tomorrow at home against Sam Houston State. Texas Tech and Oklahoma are among the other contenders to secure his commitment.

Some analysts are calling Lagway the best QB in the country…

Oklahoma Sooners offer 2024 5-star QB D.J. Lagway out of Willis, Texas

Fresh off of the heels of a successful weekend the Oklahoma Sooners were on the road delivering an offer to 2024 5-star QB D.J. Lagway.

The Oklahoma Sooners have their quarterback room for the next couple of years figured out. Dillon Gabriel is the starter heading into 2022 and depending on how this season goes for him, he could be off to the NFL in 2023 or returning for another season leading the Sooners.

Nick Evers from the 2022 quarterback class looks to have a bright future and Jackson Arnold is just one of four recruits committed to the 2023 recruiting class at this juncture. Well, the Sooners have waded into the quarterback market of the 2024 recruiting class with an offer today to one of the top quarterbacks in the country, D.J. Lagway.

Lagway, out of Willis, Texas, is one of the five best quarterbacks in the country in the 2024 class. He ranks inside the top five according to 247Sports Composite rankings, On3’s Consensus, and Rivals. Rivals has him as the top quarterback in the country for 2024.

He’s the son of former Baylor running back Derek Lagway, who played for the Bears from 1997-2001.

As a sophomore, Lagway stands 6-2 and weighs 215 lbs. He’s an athletic dual-threat player who’s able to make things happen with his arm and legs. He’s got a quick release and a strong arm, able to push the ball downfield with relative ease. As a runner, he’s elusive, uses good pocket awareness to avoid the pass rush, and is able to make people miss and break tackles in the open field.

D.J. Lagway was in Norman for their March 26 recruiting weekend and apparently that highly-rated quarterback moved the needle enough to make a visit to see him workout today.

He currently has 25 offers from FBS schools and in the next couple of years, will add a lot more offers for his consideration.

Currently, On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the Texas A&M Aggies out in front while the Sooners are tied for fourth with a 4.8% chance of landing D.J. Lagway in the 2024 recruiting class.

However, 2024 is a long way off and the Sooners have plenty of time to gain ground in the recruiting battle.

D.J. Lagway’s Recruiting Profile

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