Florida State pivots quickly after wooing ex-rival DJ Lagway, snags another SEC QB from the portal
The Noles moved quickly to add an experienced QB from the SEC.
The Florida State Seminoles had the chance to do the funniest thing to their in-state rival Florida Gators. However, it appears that possibility has since evaporated quickly.
FSU met with ex-Florida quarterback DJ Lagway this week as they look for their 2026 starting signal caller. Lagway appeared to be all smiles at the Seminoles’ facility.
Former Gators starting QB DJ Lagway visited Florida State on Monday
However, Lagway ended up leaving Tallahassee without committing and is visiting Virginia, with a number of other schools in the mix as well.
Lagway is an interesting player. A former consensus five-star recruit out of Texas, he came to Florida with a world of hype and potential. However, two shaky seasons in Gainesville didn’t apparently win over new Florida head coach Pat Sumrall, who met with Lagway shortly upon taking the job. The meeting obviously didn’t go well, with Lagway announcing his intention to enter the transfer portal shortly afterwards.
Obviously, Lagway joining the Seminoles and sticking it to the Gators would have made every FSU fan chuckle, but things apparently aren’t going to go that way. Instead, it did not take long for the Seminoles to pivot to another option.
Per Hayes Fawcett of On3 Sports, Auburn QB Ashton Daniels has committed to FSU.
Auburn QB Ashton Daniels has committed to Florida State
Daniels was a three-star recruit out of Buford High School in Atlanta, Georgia. After spending three years at Stanford, he got his chance this year for Auburn late in the season after Jackson Arnold continued to struggle.
Daniels had his moments, most memorably in a 45-38 overtime loss at Vanderbilt where he threw for 353 yards and accounted for four touchdowns (two rushing and two passing). However, he struggled mightily in a 10-3 home loss to Kentucky and in a 27-20 Iron Bowl loss to the Crimson Tide to end the season. For the season he completed 57.1% of his passes for 757 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions, adding 280 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Both he and fellow signal-caller Deuce Knight transferred out of Auburn after new head coach Alex Golesh was hired.
It may not have the storylines of Lagway, but Daniels does bring some experience to a QB room that has very little. And Mike Norvell surely shouldn’t be done trying to add more competition to find the best option to spearhead a bounce back 2026 season in Tallahassee.
Florida State Seminoles News
Florida State just got an enormous boost for its 2026 season without lifting a finger
Mike Norvell got a big boost for next season on Thursday.
