Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Gators QB DJ Lagway proves he's got the one thing that nobody else in the country has at this high of a level

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Tyler Forness | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 8:05 PM ET

Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway might have been a five-star recruit out of Willis, Texas, but it was mainly due to his insane arm talent paired with his size. Those are traits that every college coach would like to work with.

Despite having an arm that can make every throw and the ability to take care of business with his feet, those aren't what make Lagway the truly special player he is

DJ Lagway's pocket presence sets him apart

When you watch Lagway, his impressive physique and arm talent are the biggest things that stand out. However, his best trait is his pocket management.

Last season, Lagway severely injured his hamstring, which forced him to wear a custom sleeve that limited his mobility for the remainder of the season. That ended up being the best thing for his development, as it forced him to be a pocket passer. He went out and led the Gators to four-straight wins and rarely used his legs other than to slide in the pocket to avoid pass rushers.

With the multitude of injuries he dealt with this offseason, especially his calf, it was set to be interesting how well he would move to start the season. Well, he answered that quickly against Long Island and moved incredibly well.

DJ Lagway already has two elements down in his game it takes others a long time to figure out:

-Touch
-Pocket presence

He flashed this all over his freshman season and it continued on Saturday pic.twitter.com/kyEesEvMZA
— Tyler Forness (@TheRealForno) September 1, 2025

It's the subtleties of Lagway's game that really stand out. He understands exactly where pressure is coming from and climbs the pocket better than most experienced college quarterbacks. For example, Shedeur Sanders rarely climbed the pocket, instead choosing to scramble behind the LOS.

The other element where Lagway is so great compared to most with his experience level is layering the ball with touch. He understands when he needs to use touch versus throwing a rocket ball. He throws a beautiful ball to Vernell Brown III.

How he navigates the pocket is where he really separates himself, and this rep is arguably better than the first.

DJ Lagway's pocket presence continues to impress me pic.twitter.com/l2jj4woqhx
— Tyler Forness (@TheRealForno) September 1, 2025

Lagway just understands where the pressure is coming from on all levels, and he senses it incredibly well. The most impressive thing is the lack of panic. Lagway is as cool as a cucumber the entire time and keeps his eyes down the field. Here, he doesn't have to do much, but steps up in the pocket. It's really impressive to see him consistently climb the pocket to attack defenses.

When it comes to playing the more aggressive defenses on the schedule like the LSU Tigers, Miami Hurricanes, and Georgia Bulldogs, they will have issues trying to corral Lagway. It separates him from the rest of the quarterbacks in the country and will help him exponentially when he enters the NFL Draft in two years.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: