Gators utilize DJ Lagway’s cachet with recruits
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA — The Florida Gators have rolled out the red carpet for recruits thus far during the first official visit weekends. Prospects ride in luxurious cars with Florida coach Billy Napier. They attend fancy dinners and eat the best meals. Basically, they’re treated like royalty.
But the Gators also are utilizing a not-so-secrete weapon — DJ Lagway.
While several Florida players have been actively assisting the staff during prospect visits and their contributions need to be recognized, the fact is Lagway, the Gators’ touted freshman quarterback, has a certain cache with recruits. That’s largely due to the fact he was a 5-star recruit in the previous cycle, won numerous national awards and is front and center because of his various NIL opportunities and the exposure that comes with them.
“Everybody knows DJ Lagway,” 4-star receiver target Vernell Brown III said.
Last weekend, Lagway was heavily involved with two key receiver targets during their official visits to Gainesville — Naeshaun Montgomery of Miami (Fla.) Central and Joshua Moore of Pembroke Pines (Fla.) West Broward. Both are 4-star prospects.
DJ Lagway has taken the time to get to know certain recruits
“It really means a lot (getting to talk to him) seeing who would be my potential quarterback and really building a bond with him and starting it off,” Montgomery told Gators Online. “He’s actually down into my recruitment. He told me he wants me to be his X receiver and that I should definitely come to Florida and be with him. I think (Lagway had watched his video). He said he liked that I can go inside and outside, and wherever I can I go I can get the ball.”
According to Montgomery, Lagway “is trying to get to know me” both on and off the field.
“He asked me about the things I like to do,” Montgomery said. “How many times I work out because you know, he works out a lot. So he asked me how many times a day I work out.”
Lagway’s presence on the roster has the attention of several top recruits. Although Graham Mertz is Florida’s returning starter and the Gators are thrilled with his play and progress, Lagway already is his top backup. And based on early reviews from his performance this spring, the Florida staff thinks Lagway’s future is bright.
So do many recruits who spoke with Gators Online.
“They got a general at quarterback. Everybody else ain’t got a quarterback,” Moore said. “Great guy. Cool guy. Awesome.”
This spring, 2026 quarterback Will Griffin, who committed to the Gators last weekend, shadowed Lagway for a day.
New Gators commit called Lagway “awesome” as a host
“He’s awesome,” Griffin told Gators Online. “He’s such a fun guy to be around. He’s always trying to include you in things. For it being his first time showing someone around, I’d say he did pretty darn good. We talked ball, but we also talked about the recruiting process. He had a lot of insight into what it’s going to start to turn into. It was a great day with him.”
Brown’s official visit to Florida isn’t until next weekend, but on previous trips to Gainesville the touted recruit not only has watched Lagway throw in practice, he has chatted with him away from Florida’s football complex.
“On a visit when I did my shadowing, he was in tutoring with me,” Brown told Gators Online. “He texts me every now and then. He comments or replies to my Tweets. So I would say he’s pretty active.”
For Montgomery, getting to know Lagway is important. Yes, he’s the potential future face of Florida football. But also, Lagway can give Montgomery — and others — a peak inside the program and provide valuable information during the recruiting process.
“It means a lot coming from players that are already there,” Montgomery said. “The message is that (Florida) is the place to go and really get developed.”
The post Gators utilize DJ Lagway’s cachet with recruits appeared first on On3.
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