Lagway becomes the fourth Gator to receive one of the most prestigious awards in high school football.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gators signee DJ Lagway has been selected as the 39th player to be honored as the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year, it was announced Friday. Lagway, who received the Gatorade Player of the Year Award for the State of Texas on Wednesday, was one of three finalists for the national award.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Lagway as the nation’s best high school football player.
“I want to congratulate DJ on becoming this year’s Gatorade National Football Player of the Year,” said Gators Head Coach Billy Napier. “We all know what a big deal this award is and we are all aware of DJ’s talent, but this award is also a testament to the type of person he is off the field. The way he carries himself, his character, his work ethic, his drive and his focus are the things that make him exceptional. I’m proud of him.”
“I also want to congratulate Nikita and Derek Lagway. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the job they’ve done in raising DJ and for the values they’ve instilled in that young man.”
Lagway not only joins a trio of Gators who have received the award including John Brantley (2007), Brock Berlin (2000) and Emmitt Smith (1987) who presented Lagway with the trophy at the University of Florida surrounded by Lagway’s friends and family.
Lagway, who arrived on campus for move-in that morning, thought he was needed for a content shoot on the football field but walked in to find Smith holding the trophy instead.
The 6-foot-2, 225 pound senior led the Willis Wildkats to a 12-1 record which was good for their first district title since 2002 and a trip to the 6A-Division II regional final. He completed 289 of 393 pass attempts (72.1%) for 4,604 yards and 58 touchdowns while rushing for 957 yards and 16 scores averaging 9.53 yards per carry.
Off the field, Lagway maintained a 3.48 GPA in the classroom and has volunteered at eldercare facilities, playing games and creating arts and crafts with the residents. He also donated some of his time to a community foodbank and as a public speaker at schools and churches in Texas where he spoke with younger students about what it takes to succeed in school as well as in athletics.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. This means Lagway was selected as the best player among the over one million student athletes that play high school football across the country.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gators signee DJ Lagway has been selected as the 39th player to be honored as the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year, it was announced Friday. Lagway, who received the Gatorade Player of the Year Award for the State of Texas on Wednesday, was one of three finalists for the national award.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Lagway as the nation’s best high school football player.
“I want to congratulate DJ on becoming this year’s Gatorade National Football Player of the Year,” said Gators Head Coach Billy Napier. “We all know what a big deal this award is and we are all aware of DJ’s talent, but this award is also a testament to the type of person he is off the field. The way he carries himself, his character, his work ethic, his drive and his focus are the things that make him exceptional. I’m proud of him.”
“I also want to congratulate Nikita and Derek Lagway. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the job they’ve done in raising DJ and for the values they’ve instilled in that young man.”
Lagway not only joins a trio of Gators who have received the award including John Brantley (2007), Brock Berlin (2000) and Emmitt Smith (1987) who presented Lagway with the trophy at the University of Florida surrounded by Lagway’s friends and family.
Lagway, who arrived on campus for move-in that morning, thought he was needed for a content shoot on the football field but walked in to find Smith holding the trophy instead.
The 6-foot-2, 225 pound senior led the Willis Wildkats to a 12-1 record which was good for their first district title since 2002 and a trip to the 6A-Division II regional final. He completed 289 of 393 pass attempts (72.1%) for 4,604 yards and 58 touchdowns while rushing for 957 yards and 16 scores averaging 9.53 yards per carry.
Off the field, Lagway maintained a 3.48 GPA in the classroom and has volunteered at eldercare facilities, playing games and creating arts and crafts with the residents. He also donated some of his time to a community foodbank and as a public speaker at schools and churches in Texas where he spoke with younger students about what it takes to succeed in school as well as in athletics.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. This means Lagway was selected as the best player among the over one million student athletes that play high school football across the country.
