The plaudits just keep stacking up for the star Florida QB. Will this particular trophy stay within the family?
Latest DJ Lagway Preseason Honor Comes With a Special Gator Twist originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The preseason plaudits just keep stacking up for the star Florida QB. Will this particular trophy stay within the family?
The last time the Florida Gators football program witnessed a sophomore enter a new season with this much hype? The one and only Tim Tebow, who ended up accomplishing a thing or two in Gainesville.
Indeed, 18 years after the all-time legendary quarterback bludgeoned through preseason camp ahead of a record-breaking campaign that made him Florida's third-ever Heisman Trophy winner, all eyes are on DJ Lagway, the do-it-all playmaker who powered Billy Napier's squad to four straight wins to close out 2024.
And not just the eyes of Gator Nation, to be perfectly clear.
On the heels of being named to the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award recognizing college football's most outstanding player, news arrived Thursday that the cannon-armed quarterback is among the players making the cut for another famous prize.
You know, the one named for the Gator great who won the Heisman 11 years before Touchdown Timmy.
That's right: The Wuerffel Trophy.
What is the Wuerffel Trophy?
Named for canonized Florida football icon Danny Wuerffel, the Wuerffel Trophy annually recognizes the FBS player who best exemplifies "community service, academic excellence, and athletic achievement," per an official release dated July 31.
Devotees will note that Wuerffel soared to unprecedented heights in a college career under Steve Spurrier that saw him cap his 1996 senior season with the Gators' second Heisman and first-ever national championship. His on-field exploits, however, are merely one part of his remarkable story.
A two-time First Team Academic All-American, Wuerffel retired from a brief NFL career in 2004 to return to New Orleans -- the city in which his professional dreams began as a member of the Saints -- to join Desire Street Ministries, a nonprofit organization focused on supporting underserved communities.
In 2020, the celebrated quarterback founded the Wuerffel Foundation with a mission of empowering new generations of community leaders.
Check out the full preseason watchlist for the 2025 Wuerffel Trophy below.
Related: College Football 26: Every Florida Fan Must Try This Defender on Offense
2025 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
Keylen Davis | Akron | OL | R-JR |
LT Overton | Alabama | DL | SR |
Ethan Johnson | Appalachian St. | CB | SR |
Genesis Smith | Arizona | DB | JR |
Coben Bourguet | Arizona St. | WR | R-SR |
Cam Ball | Arkansas | DL | R-SR |
Corey Rucker Jr. | Arkansas St. | WR | R-SR |
Jeremiah Wright | Auburn | OG | 5th |
Kiael Kelly | Ball State | QB | R-SR |
Sawyer Robertson | Baylor | QB | R-SR |
Marco Notarainni | Boise St. | LB | R-SR |
Alex Broome | Boston College | RB | R-JR |
Drew Pyne | Bowling Green | QB | Grad |
Red Murdock | Buffalo | LB | Grad |
Tanner Wall | BYU | NB/S | R-SR |
Jeffrey Johnson | Cal | TE | R-SR |
Michael Heldman | Central Michigan | DE/Edge | SR |
Braden Mullen | Charlotte | DE/Edge | R-SR |
Gavin Gerhardt | Cincinnati | C | 6th Year |
Adam Randall | Clemson | RB | Grad |
Jayden Jackson | Coastal Carolina | NB/S | R-SR |
Charlie Offerdahl | Colorado | RB | SR |
Jake Thaw | Delaware | WR | Grad |
Chandler Rivers | Duke | CB | SR |
Marlon Gunn Jr. | East Carolina | RB | SR |
Jefferson Adam | Eastern Michigan | DL | SR |
Shamir Sterlin | FIU | NB/S | R-FR |
DJ Lagway | Florida | QB | SO |
Caden Veltkamp | FAU | QB | R-JR |
Richie Leonard IV | Florida St. | OL | R-SR |
Jordan Brown | Fresno St. | WR | SR |
Jordan Hall | Georgia | DL | JR |
Pichon Wimbley | Georgia Southern | OG | SR |
Haynes King | Georgia Tech | QB | R-SR |
Kenenna Odeluga | Illinois | LB | SR |
Fernando Mendoza | Indiana | QB | R-JR |
Gennings Dunker | Iowa | OL | SR |
Rocco Becht | Iowa St. | QB | R-JR |
Blake Kendall | James Madison | QB | R-JR |
Leyton Cure | Kansas | TE | R-SR |
Damian Ilalio | Kansas St. | DT | SR |
JeRico Washington, Jr. | Kennesaw St, | DB | R-SO |
Mattheus Carroll | Kent State | DL | Grad |
Josh Kattus | Kentucky | TE | SR |
Elijah Auguste | Liberty | NB/S | SR |
Caden Jensen | Louisiana | TE | R-SO |
Eli Finley | Louisiana Tech | TE | JR |
Clev Lubin | Louisville | DL | R-SR |
Harold Perkins JR | LSU | LB | R-JR |
Toby Payne | Marshall | TE | R-JR |
Ethan Gough | Maryland | LS | R-SR |
Donovan Mathena | Memphis | LB | R-JR |
Francis Mauigoa | Miami | OT | JR |
Jordan Hall | Michigan St. | LB | JR |
Nicholas Vattiato | Middle Tennessee | QB | 5th Year |
Anthony Smith | Minnesota | DL | R-JR |
Jacoby Jackson | Mississippi St. | OL | SR |
Connor Tollison | Missouri | C | Grad |
Brandon Cleveland | NC State | DT | SR |
Teddy Prochazka | Nebraska | OL | R-SR |
Abiathar Curry | NIU | OL | R-JR |
Landon Sides | North Texas | WR | JR |
Najee Story | Northwestern | DL | Grad |
Aamil Wagner | Notre Dame | OL | R-JR |
Sonny Styles | Ohio State | LB | SR |
Robert Spears-Jennings | Oklahoma | DB | SR |
Koa Naotala | Old Dominion | LB | R-JR |
Diego Pounds | Ole Miss | OT | SR |
Matthew Bedford | Oregon | OL | 6th |
Dylan Black | Oregon State | LS | R-SR |
Cooper Cousins | Penn State | OL | SO |
Eli Holstein | Pitt | QB | R-SO |
Devin Mockobee | Purdue | RB | JR |
Plae Wyatt | Rice | NB/S | R-SR |
Jai Patel | Rutgers | K | SR |
Taniela Latu | San Jose St. | LB | R-SR |
Alexander Kilgore | SMU | LB | JR |
Devin Voisin | South Alabama | WR | Grad |
Oscar Adaway III | South Carolina | RB | Grad |
Braylon Braxton | Southern Miss | QB | R-SR |
Sam Roush | Stanford | TE | SR |
Derek McDonald | Syracuse | LB | R-SR |
Paul Oyewale | TCU | DE/Edge | JR |
Willy Love | Temple | NB/S | SO |
Bryson Eason | Tennessee | DT | R-SR |
Michael Taafe | Texas | DB | SR |
Albert Regis | Texas A&M | DL | Grad |
Lincoln Pare | Texas St. | RB | R-SR |
Behren Morton | Texas Tech | QB | SR |
Matt Hofer | Toledo | OL | R-FR |
Ty Thompson | Tulane | TE | R-SR |
Stephen Kittleman | Tulsa | QB | R-SR |
Denver Warren | UAB | DT | R-SR |
Paul Rubelt | UCF | OL | 5th |
Julian Armella | UCLA | OL | R-JR |
Elijah Fisher | ULM | OG | R-SR |
Brock Taylor | UMass | OL | R-SO |
Will Hardy | UNC | DB | Grad |
Cameron Friel | UNLV | QB | SR |
Anthony Beavers Jr. | USC | LB | R-SR |
Christian Helms | USF | WR | Grad |
Devon Dampier | Utah | QB | JR |
Bronson Olevao Jr. | Utah St. | LB | JR |
Tyrone McDuffie III | UTEP | OL | R-SO |
Camron Cooper | UTSA | DE/Edge | R-JR |
Marlen Sewell | Vanderbilt | NB/S | Grad |
Stevie Bracey | Virginia | LB | SR |
Tyson Flowers | Virginia Tech | S | R-JR |
Zamari Stevenson | Wake Forest | DB | R-JR |
Zach Durfee | Washington | DE/Edge | SR |
Zevi Eckhaus | Washington St. | QB | R-SR |
Nicco Marchiol | West Virginia | QB | R-JR |
Tyson Lee | Western Michigan | DL | R-SR |
Ricardo Hallman | Wisconsin | CB | R-JR |
Marshall Jackson | WKU | OT | R-SR |
Evan Svoboda | Wyoming | TE | SR |
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
