There was already something “fishy” going on in the Swamp with the Florida’ Gators’ sophomore phenom DJ Lagway’s shoulder injury. Now coach Billy Napier adds more mud with his “opinions” on it. What we witnessed was a left hamstring strain back in Nov. The five-star recruit with a cannon for an arm, has been pegged as the next big thing in Gainesville, his freshman season was enough proof. But for now, the buzz around Lagway is about his health. Despite participating in spring practice, the 19-year-old hasn’t been throwing passes, mirroring his teammates’ motions without actually letting the ball fly. Officially, it’s a precaution. Unofficially? The speculation is running wild.

Billy Napier tried to put those concerns to rest when he addressed the media on Thursday, but if anything, his words only deepened the mystery. “Our intentions here are to be very smart,” Napier said. “He’ll be limited in throwing activities, but he’ll participate in all practices otherwise.” That sounds reasonable—except for one glaring issue. Lagway’s only reported injury was a left hamstring strain, something that shouldn’t affect his ability to throw.

The real red flag, though, was Napier’s acknowledgment that the program had sought multiple medical opinions as “second opinions”. “We’ve consulted with quite a few experts here from a national perspective as we do with a lot of our players,” he explained. That’s when the alarms really started blaring. Why does a hamstring issue require consultations with experts from across the country? And why, if it’s nothing serious, is Florida already talking about “limitations” this early in the offseason That’s exactly what had That SEC Podcast insiders raising eyebrows.

“He says second opinion, yeah, national experts,” one analyst noted. “To everyone’s knowledge, he’s not had any surgery, but then why are you seeking second opinions? Why are you going around the country to get the best specialist if he doesn’t need— I mean, again, it’s very ambiguous.” Ambiguous is putting it lightly. For a player with Lagway’s upside, every rep matters, and yet, Florida seems hesitant to let him cut loose. The podcast insiders pointed out that while DJ Lagway is at practice and visibly engaged, the fact that he’s not throwing at all this spring is cause for concern. “He’s not in a wheelchair, he’s not in a corner or anything, he’s on the field, but apparently, he’s not really going to be throwing this spring. Any concern there? A little. The fact that we’re talking about it in March.” And here’s the kicker—this isn’t just about spring practice.

The conversation around Lagway’s health has long-term stakes. “I don’t like words like ‘second opinion,’ that doesn’t sound convincing to me,” the analyst continued. “It almost sounds like… I mean, again, you gotta think about player safety, and times are different now in 2025. You don’t see them playing through injuries like they used to. If this is going to cost him millions of dollars in the long run—something that he can clean up—then I think that’s kind of what the options are weighing.” They’re playing for their future. If there’s even a hint that Lagway’s dealing with something that could affect his long-term trajectory, every move Florida makes will be scrutinized.

While the speculation swirls, the ESPN analyst took a slightly different approach. Instead of diving into the injury concerns, he shifted the focus to what Florida needs to do to maximize Lagway’s potential. To do that he might need some “external factors” the former Alabama QB stressed. And he’s not wrong. Even if Lagway is 100% by the start of the season, quarterback play alone won’t be enough to get Florida where it needs to be. The Gators have been stuck in mediocrity for too long, and if they want to make real noise in the SEC, they’ll need weapons.

So, what’s next? If Florida’s handling of this situation is purely precautionary, Lagway should be back to full strength by summer.

Florida’s receiving arsenal in ambiguity around QB1 DJ Lagway

Florida fans are buzzing about DJ Lagway, but ESPN analyst Greg McElroy is keeping it real—if the Gators want to hit their stride in 2025, Lagway will need serious support from the weapons around him.

“He’s still a young player,” McElroy said Monday on his Always College Football podcast. “It would be great for him to develop a rapport with the new targets. … Who are going to be the go-to guys in the passing game for Lagway this upcoming season?” That’s the big question. The Gators lost their top two receivers, Elijhah Badger and Chimere Dike, to the NFL, leaving the receiving corps with both opportunity and uncertainty.

“Eugene Wilson is back after a disappointing season last year,” McElroy pointed out. “He had hip surgery that led to his season being cut short.” If Wilson can bounce back, he could be Lagway’s security blanket. Beyond him, Florida is counting on fresh faces to step up. “You look at some of the young players that are gonna be there at the wide receiver spot—Vernell Brown III, Dallas Wilson, Naeshaun Montgomery—three of the highest-ranked signees.”

If this young core delivers, Lagway could be in for a huge debut season. If not? Florida’s offense could face some growing pains.