While nothing is official for a few more weeks, all signs point to DJ Lagway leaving the Florida Gators football program after two years. The Texas native and Baylor legacy has announced his intentions of hitting the transfer portal earlier this month. Keep in mind that the portal does not official open until Jan. 2. For now, it is all sort of, word of mouth. That did not stop 247Sports from compiling this list...
As you can see, Lagway is one of the best soon-to-be available quarterbacks hitting the transfer portal. He is ranked behind Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Brendan Sorsby and Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola as of Tuesday afternoon. Along with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish's Kenny Minchey, they are the four-star quarterbacks who have announced they are entering it.
Right now, Jon Sumrall and his incoming Florida staff will need to find the replacement for Lagway in Gainesville. One name that has been tied to the Gators thus far is Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets backup Aaron Philo. Although he could be the heir apparent to Haynes King in Atlanta, keep in mind that former Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner is now calling plays for the Gators.
So without further ado, here are three quarterbacks Florida needs to avoid bringing in at all costs.
3. UCF Knights quarterback Tayven Jackson
In due time, Tayven Jackson will find his way down the pecking order as more and more college quarterbacks announce their intentions of hitting the portal. Wherever he ends up will be his fourth college team. Jackson spent last year at UCF, but has played for Indiana and Tennessee before. Yes, he was the quarterback at Indiana before Kurtis Rourke took the Hoosiers to the playoff last season.
Of the limited sample size that Jackson put forth at all three Power Four schools, we never got the feeling he had much of a feel in the pocket. The pass rush always got to him quickly. The fact he is not much of a runner contributes to the offense largely stagnating whenever he is out there. Unless Florida wants to welcome in the next version of Austin Appleby, the Gators should look elsewhere.
UCF was not a good team last year under Scott Frost, but Jackson might need to go down a level.
2. Michigan State Spartans quarterback Aidan Chiles
Oh, Chiles. Things aren't gonna get easier for this once promising quarterback prospect. Aidan Chiles famously followed Jonathan Smith from Oregon State to Michigan State. Two years later, Smith has been fired and Chiles has become a forgettable fringe Power Four quarterback. Yes, another change of scenery may do him some good, but he is not ready for the onslaught of SEC defenses he will face.
As painful as it may sound, the idea of what Chiles could be is never going to equate to the real thing. Smith is a strong coach, but he was over his skis in East Lansing. Chiles' lack of meaningful playing time in Corvallis largely exposed him in the revamped Big Ten. Michigan State devolved into a bottom-four team in the Big Ten. Florida needs to add an ascending player, not a reclamation project.
Where Chiles ends up will be fascinating, but Florida is not the right time and place for him just yet.
1. Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola
Be careful what you wish for. For as much talent as Dylan Raiola may provide, he is the most impressionable of impressionables who has ever graced a college football field. His obsession with Patrick Mahomes is restraining order creepy. It is why Texas Tech is going to actively pursue Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby instead. His girlfriend just transferred to Lubbock this week.
For Florida to add a quarterback who has been on seven teams in eight years, why would you want to subject yourself to this kind of mercurial quarterbacking enigma? Raiola is not a team player, and Sumrall is all about the team. Raiola could win a ton of games playing quarterback for Florida, but he feels like a guy destined for a school who loves impressionables like Oregon, or even Tennessee...
If Florida wants to get it right with this regime, it must avoid bringing in Raiola like the black plague.