Published Aug. 28|Updated Aug. 28
GAINESVILLE — Though Graham Mertz is the Florida Gators’ undisputed starting quarterback, five-star freshman DJ Lagway will also command attention — if not reps. That’s the nature of signing Gatorade’s national player of the year.
Coach Billy Napier has teased the possibility of Lagway seeing action, in part because his running ability adds a wrinkle Mertz lacks. It’s easy to envision a scenario where Lagway gets a package of plays, as Tim Tebow did behind Chris Leak in 2006.
“DJ, as he gains more experience, I think all the things that we do will mean more to him,” Napier said Monday. “I think it’s one thing to sit around and talk about it. It’s another thing to experience it.”
So what, then, is reasonable to expect Lagway to experience this season? To answer that question, we looked at every first-year quarterback who, like Lagway, was a top-10 overall national recruit in his class. Here’s how they fared (with rankings from the 247Sports composite):
Arch Manning, Texas (No. 1 overall, 2023 class)
The nephew of Peyton and Eli spent most of the season as a third-stringer behind Quinn Ewers. Manning completed 2 of his 5 passes for 30 yards against Texas Tech and took the final (meaningless) snaps in the Big 12 championship. In Year 2, Manning is the top backup for Ewers (we’ll come back to him).
Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee (No. 3 overall, 2023 class)
The California native backed up sixth-round pick Joe Milton in the regular season and posted moderate numbers (16-of-26, 163 yards and a touchdown plus 44 rushing yards). When Milton opted out of the Citrus Bowl, Iamaleava started and became the Volunteers’ first true freshman to win a bowl since Peyton Manning in 1994. Iamaleava completed 63% of his passes for 151 yards and a touchdown and rushed for three scores. The Gators likely will face him as the Vols’ starter in Week 7.
Dante Moore, UCLA (No. 5 overall, 2023 class)
In Week 2, Moore became the ninth Bruins true freshman ever to start at quarterback. But he was shaky in his five starts, completing only 50.3% of his passes before getting benched. In six Pac-12 games, he threw four touchdowns and eight interceptions. Moore transferred to Oregon.
Jackson Arnold, Oklahoma (No. 8 overall, 2023 class)
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Explore all your optionsArnold began the season on the bench behind an established transfer (former UCF star Dillon Gabriel) and only saw action in blowouts. When Gabriel got hurt against BYU, Arnold entered and turned a 17-17 tie into a 31-24 victory. Arnold started the bowl loss against Arizona (26-of-45, 361 yards, two touchdowns, three picks) and is the Sooners’ top passer this fall.
Cade Klubnik, Clemson (No. 6 overall, 2022 class)
As a backup, he passed only 22 times in the regular season. But when DJ Uiagalelei struggled in the ACC title game, Klubnik starred off the bench. He completed 20 of his 24 passes, threw for a touchdown and ran for another to join Florida State’s Jameis Winston and Dalvin Cook as the only true freshmen to be named the ACC championship’s MVP. Klubnik threw two picks in his first start (a bowl loss to Tennessee). He’s entering his second season as the Tigers’ starter.
Quinn Ewers, Ohio State (No. 1 overall, 2021)
Ewers saw all of two snaps for the Buckeyes as he backed up Heisman finalist C.J. Stroud. He left for a fresh start with the Longhorns and helped Texas to the playoff in his second year as a starter.
Caleb Williams, Oklahoma (No. 7 overall, 2021)
He didn’t remain Spencer Rattler’s backup for long. Williams came off the bench against Texas and led the Sooners to their largest comeback victory (18 points) ever against the Longhorns. He started the next seven games, completing 65% of his passes for 19 touchdowns and four interceptions. He followed coach Lincoln Riley to USC, won the Heisman and was the No. 1 overall pick in this spring’s NFL draft.
Bryce Young, Alabama (No. 2 overall, 2020)
Young backed up Heisman finalist Mac Jones for the national champions. In garbage-time opportunities, he was 13-of-22 for 156 yards and a touchdown. Young won the Heisman the next year in his first season as a starter and was the Panthers’ No. 1 overall pick in 2023.
DJ Uiagalelei, Clemson (No. 10 overall, 2020)
He got mop-up opportunities behind Trevor Lawrence and filled in as the starter when Lawrence was sidelined after a positive coronavirus test. Uiagalelei led Clemson to the largest comeback win in Memorial Stadium history against Boston College and broke the school’s freshman record with 439 yards the next week in a double-overtime loss at No. 4 Notre Dame. After being replaced by Klubnik, Uiagalelei transferred to Oregon State and is now FSU’s starter.
Trevor Lawrence, Clemson (No. 1 overall, 2018)
Probably the best-case scenario for Lagway. Lawrence played off the bench in Clemson’s first four games, then usurped Kelly Bryant for the starting job. Lawrence ended the season with 3,280 yards, 30 touchdowns and four interceptions while leading the Tigers to their second national title in three seasons. He finished his career with a 34-2 record as a starter and went No. 1 overall to the Jaguars in 2021.
Justin Fields, Georgia (No. 2 overall, 2018)
Aside from getting famously stuffed on a fake punt in the SEC title game, Fields backed up Jake Fromm and got occasional snaps (39 passes, 42 rushes) in 12 games. Fields was never put in position to justify the hype; Dan Mullen even pointed out after losing to Georgia that UF’s freshman quarterback (Emory Jones) put up better numbers than Fields (who did not play). Fields transferred to Ohio State and went 20-2 as the Buckeyes’ starter.
Shea Patterson, Mississippi (No. 4 overall, 2016)
The IMG Academy product didn’t play until Chad Kelly blew out his knee in November. Patterson topped 400 total yards in his debut — an upset at No. 8 Texas A&M — but completed only 52% of his passes in the next two starts (losses to Vanderbilt and Mississippi State). He was one of the SEC’s top passers before an injury the next year during a chaotic period for the Rebels. Patterson transferred to Michigan and spent two seasons as the Wolverines’ starter.
Jacob Eason, Georgia (No. 5 overall, 2016)
He rallied the Bulldogs off the bench in a season-opening comeback win over North Carolina and started every game after that in an 8-5 season. He also led game-winning drives to beat Missouri and Kentucky. An injury derailed him as a sophom*ore and allowed Jake Fromm to take the starting spot. Eason played his final season at Washington.
Kyle Allen, Texas A&M (No. 8 overall, 2014)
He lost the battle for the Week 1 starting job to Kenny Hill but played in blowouts and earned the role for the final five games. He threw four touchdowns to upset No. 3 Auburn and four more to earn MVP honors of the Liberty Bowl. Allen split starts with Kyler Murray the next year and finished his college career at Houston.
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