DJ Lagway
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Projected No. 1 2027 draft pick DJ Lagway of the Florida Gators.
In what certainly qualifies as one of those “way too early” scenarios, the Las Vegas Raiders could be looking at a high draft pick in 2027, two years down the road, and could use it to take their quarterback of the future, Florida Gators sophomore sensation DJ Lagway. The 20-year-old from from Willis, Texas, topped the 2024 recruiting class, and does not become eligible for the NFL draft until after the 2026 season.
But in early, if not “way-too-early” predictions Lagway is almost unanimously seen as a top five draft pick, possibly the No. 1 overall selection, topping a draft class seen as one of the deepest in years.
Lagway Called ‘Potential Franchise Quarterback
“The 2027 NFL Draft projects to be incredibly good. The 2024 college football season was the year of the true freshman, as many players have shown superstar ability immediately out of high school,” wrote Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus earlier this summer. “It wouldn’t be a special draft class without at least one potential franchise quarterback.”
That quarterback, according to PFF, is Lagway, who “has all the arm talent to become a No. 1 overall pick in 2027.”
“He may have more arm talent than anyone else in college football and just needs to fine-tune his footwork and accuracy to potentially become the best quarterback in the nation,” Chadwick wrote.
Florida QB’s 2025 Off tp Explosive Start
After completing 115 of 192 pass attempts as a true freshman for 1,915 yards and 12 touchdowns, albeit with nine interceptions, Lagway got his 2025 off to an explosive start.
While Florida’a opponent, Long Island University, was seriously overmatched, Lagway’s 15 for 18, 120-yard, three touchdown outing without an interception couldn’t help but command attention, as he led the Gators to a 55-0 win.
So what’s the scenario in which the Raiders obtain Lagway?
How Raiders Could Land Top Quarterback
First, projecting draft order even one year out is a bit of a crapshoot, to say nothing of two years out. But based on performances from 2024, there are only a few teams that seem likely to continue to occupy the NFL basement for the next couple of years. With only three wins last season, Las Vegas has a steep hill to climb to lift itself back into playoff contention.
ESPN Analytics projects the Raiders at 7.5 wins in 2025. But the Cleveland Browns at a projected 6.1 games occupy the bottom position, and that’s not far behind the Raiders projection. There is clearly room for variance with either team. But who needs a quarterback most among the low-win teams?
The Raiders current starter Geno Smith will be 37 in the 2027 season and did not rise to the level of a quality NFL quarterback until 2021 with the Seattle Seahawks. That was his first year with a rating over 100, which he also achieved in 2022. But over the last two seasons he dipped back to the 92-93 range — still respectable but probably not playoff level — and more importantly, a sign of decline in his skills.
The New England Patriots also won just four games last season, but they appear settled at the QB spot with 2023 No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye. The three-win Tennessee Titans just used the 2025 No. 1 overall pick on former Miami signal-caller Cam Ward. The New York Giants, also with just three victories in 2024, appear to view Jaxson Dart — their own 2025 first round pick, 25th overall out of Mississippi — as their long term solution under center.
That leaves the Raiders and the Browns — unless Cleveland truly believes that either of their rookies this year, third round pick Dillon Gabriel from Oregon or fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders, will blossom into a franchise player in the next couple of seasons.
Either way, the 2027 draft appears stacked with quarterbacks, including Nebraska Cornhusker Dylan Raiola, Ohio State Buckeye Julian Sayin and Florida State Seminole Luke Kromenhoek. So the possibility remains that even if the Raiders do not qualify for the No. 1 overall pick, they will still get their shot at Lagman.