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Josh Pate Names QB With 7 Career Starts As Best SEC QB

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Alec Musa | Last updated Jun 4, 2025 7:08 PM ET

The Florida Gators have not had a quarterback make an All-SEC team since Kyle Trask in 2020. Following Trask's 43-touchdown campaign, the quartet of Emory Jones, Anthony Richardson, Graham Mertz, and DJ Lagway have all failed to post more than 20 passing touchdowns in a season.

The latter, Lagway, is the most recent to lead Florida's offense, tossing 12 touchdowns against nine picks in 12 games in 2024. Despite the limited production, albeit a five-star mega prospect, one prominent college football reporter has high hopes for the soon-to-be sophomore.

According to Josh Pate of CBS Sports, Lagway is the top-ranked quarterback in the SEC heading into the 2025 season. Lagway and his 12 total touchdowns rank ahead of Arch Manning, Lanorris Sellers, and John Mateer, among others, on Pate's list. Lagway is also three spots above LSU Tigers star passer Garrett Nussmeier, who threw for 4,052 yards last season.

Lagway will need to have a big bump in production next season to make Pate's proclamation look sharp. Lagway's best game of the season, a 456-yard, three-touchdown effort, came against the Samford Bulldogs of the FCS level. Lagway either threw more or as many interceptions as he did touchdowns on five separate occasions.

The top-ranked quarterback in the 2024 class per 247Sports, Lagway entered college as a dual-threat passer. However, he accumulated just 101 rushing yards on 51 attempts while failing to score a touchdown.

Lagway and Florida will open the season against the Long Island Sharks.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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