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Florida QB DJ Lagway Named Gatorade National Player of the Year

The Gators quarterback signee earns the accolade after accounting for 5,561 yards and 74 touchdowns from scrimmage during his senior season.

Brandon Carroll

Florida QB DJ Lagway Named Gatorade National Player of the Year
Florida QB DJ Lagway Named Gatorade National Player of the Year /
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Photo: Gators QB signee DJ Lagway; Credit: Zach Goodall

Florida Gators quarterback signee DJ Lagway was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2023, it was announced Friday.

He outlasted 2024 Alabama quarterback signee Julian Sayin and 2026 USC quarterback commit Julian 'Ju Ju' Lewis to become the 39th player to earn the annual honor.

"I want to congratulate DJ on becoming this year's Gatorade National Football Player of the Year," said Gators Head Coach Billy Napier via a press release. "We all know what a big deal this award is and we are all aware of DJ's talent, but this award is also a testament to the type of person he is off the field. The way he carries himself, his character, his work ethic, his drive and his focus are the things that make him exceptional. I'm proud of him."

"I also want to congratulate Nikita and Derek Lagway. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the job they've done in raising DJ and for the values they've instilled in that young man."

Lagway joins John Brantley (2007), Brock Berlin (2000) and Emmitt Smith (1987) as Gator players to win the award. Smith presented Lagway with the trophy on Friday.

Shining his strong arm, improved accuracy and complementary rushing ability during his senior campaign at Willis (Texas) High, Lagway accounted for 4,604 yards and 58 touchdowns through the air to pair with 957 yards and 16 scores on the ground.

The impressive, record-breaking production saw the dual-threat quarterback's stock surge in the closing stages of the 2024 recruiting cycle.

He is considered the No. 3 quarterback and No. 10 overall player in the class, per 247Sports Composite rankings.

Lagway served as the undenied backbone of Florida's 2024 recruiting class, committing to the Gators over one year (Dec. 7, 2022) before putting pen to paper to finalize his pledge on Early National Signing Day (Dec. 20).

As a result, Lagway's move to Gainesville for his collegiate career is highly anticipated. He's widely considered a potential program-changing entity for Billy Napier and Co. following back-to-back losing seasons to begin the former Louisiana-Lafayette head coach's stint at the University of Florida.

He's expected to operate as the second-in-command to incumbent starter Graham Mertz during the 2024 campaign as he grows acclimated to the collegiate level before taking over the reins of the offense full-time in 2025.

However, Lagway said he will likely see time frequently during his true freshman season in different packages. He'll likely supplement the team's rushing attack in short-yardage and goal-line situations as he comes on in relief of Mertz, similar to Tim Tebow's role behind ten-starter Chris Leak in 2006.

Lagway officially arrived on campus on Friday morning to start the next chapter of his already esteemed football career.

Stay tuned to All Gators for continuous coverage of Florida Gators football, basketball and recruiting. Follow along on social media at @AllGatorsOnFN on Twitter and All Gators on FanNation-Sports Illustrated on Facebook.

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Brandon Carroll
BRANDON CARROLL

Brandon Carroll is a recent graduate of the University of Florida. He serves as the lead reporter for the Florida Gators FanNation-Sports Illustrated website, covering football, basketball and recruiting. When he isn't hard at work, he enjoys listening to music, playing flag football and basketball, spending time with his friends and family, and watching an array of television shows. Follow him on Twitter @itsbcarroll.

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