Former Florida Gators QB DJ Lagway lands in the obvious spot via the transfer portal, and it could end up being disastrous

DJ Lagway commits to the Baylor Bears in the transfer portal, and the fit doesn’t make much sense.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Jan 7, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; DJ Lagway, a Florida quarterback currently in the transfer portal, sits with Baylor Bears football head coach Dave Aranda, left, during the first half of a game between the Baylor Bears and Iowa State Cyclones at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion.
Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Former Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway has found a new home via the transfer portal, and he has committed to the Baylor Bears. The former five-star recruit from Willis, Texas, has returned to his home state with two seasons of eligibility remaining.

It was inevitable that Lagway was going to find a home, and the hope was that it wouldn’t be with a bitter rival. Lagway visited the Florida State Seminoles over the weekend and had been linked to the LSU Tigers and Miami Hurricanes during his time in the transfer portal. Those would have been really interesting landing spots, certainly better than going to Waco.

DJ Lagway going to Baylor is a bad fit

When Lagway was with the Gators, they used an offense focused more on running the football and simple route concepts with reads to one side of the field. Despite his insane athletic gifts, Lagway didn’t put up big numbers. He completed just 62 percent of his passes for 4,179 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions, while also rushing for 237 yards and one touchdown.

One of the difficult aspects of his performance from this past season was Lagway’s health. During the 2025 offseason, Lagway dealt with lingering shoulder and hernia injuries, and those are likely still an issue. You could see how Lagway was impacted this season, with his throws having a little bit less zip and distance than he should have with his insane arm talent.

He goes to an offense coordinated by Jake Spavital, which is an Air Raid-based attack, which will require Lagway to throw the ball all over the place. That’s not necessarily the best way to use Lagway’s ability. Plus, Spavital doesn’t have a great track record recently of running an efficient or explosive offense.

The Bears ran the third-most passing plays per game, but averaged the 48th-most EPA/pass, along with a below-average running game. It’s not a recipe for success for Lagway, especially if he doesn’t get his shoulder and hernia fixed this offseason. It also won’t help him get the development he needs, which could make the 2026 season a moot point, leading to needing the 2027 offseason to get that development.

Baylor was the likely choice due to his father having graduated from there, and that is often a draw for players. Even so, it’s a poor fit, and head coach Dave Aranda is one brutal game away from being fired, which could change everything again for Lagway.

It’s a bad fit for Lagway, but at least Big 12 defenses are the same.

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