Eight Florida football players, including sophomore starting quarterback D.J. Lagway, earned preseason coaches All-SEC honors on August 19.
The 6-foot-3, 247-pound Lagway, who began taking part in 11-on-11 drills this week in his latest recovery from a calf strain, was named a third-team, All-SEC selection at quarterback behind LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier (first team) and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers (second team).
Lagway went 6-1 as a starter last season, passing for 1,915 yards with 12 touchdowns to nine interceptions, including 12 completions of 40 yards or more. He didn’t make the media’s preseason All-SEC team, which was voted on last month at SEC Football Media Days in Atlanta.
Two Florida Gators — center Jake Slaughter and left tackle Austin Barber — earned first-team All-SEC honors. Defensive tackle Caleb Banks, kicker Trey Smack and long snapper Rocco Underwood were named to the All-SEC second team. Lagway, wide receiver Eugene Wilson III and defensive end earned All-SEC third-team honors.
No. 17 Florida is entering the 2025 season with high expectations after winning four games in a row to close the 2024 season, capped by a 33-8 win over Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 20. Flordia opens in the 2025 season at The Swamp against Long Island University on Aug. 30 (7 p.m., SEC Network+, ESPN+).
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators’ national championship basketball season in “CHOMP-IONS!” — a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Eight Florida football players, including QB DJ Lagway, named to All-SEC coaches team
Reporting by Kevin Brockway, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

