On3 gives Florida football signees DJ Lagway and LJ McCray their flowers
By Will Thomas
Florida football saw some members of their 2024 recruiting class flip out during the Early Signing Period, which left a sour taste in the mouths of lots of Gator fans.
But Billy Napier and his staff still had lots of big wins in the '24 cycle, the biggest of which were the top two players they brought in.
5-star QB DJ Lagway and 5-star DL LJ McCray are the headliners of Florida's class, and have proven themselves to be program-changing players.
Today, when On3 released their final 5-star rankings, both Lagway and McCray got the recognition that they deserve.
Florida football: The best of the best
In the final ranking countdown, DJ came in as the No. 2 overall player in the country, with LJ not far behind slotted at No. 6.
Lagway and McCray are both physical specimen that blow everyone else on the field with them out of the water. Their physical attributes combined with their production on the field led to them being rated No. 1 at each of their positions per On3.
Both of these guys had rumors swirling around signing day that their commitment to the Gators may not be as solid as previously thought. There were some reports that USC was making a late push for Lagway, and that FSU may swoop in and steal McCray at the last second.
But all of those reports turned out to be writers looking for clicks during the signing period, much to the relief of Gator fans and coaches.
Napier being able to bring in players as good as Lagway and McCray even after a disappointing season shows that players are buying into what he's selling, even if the on-field product isn't where we want it to be.
If Billy can stay consistent on the trail, the on-field results will soon follow.