Florida Gators' freshman quarterback DJ Lagway stars in Gatorade's latest commercial. This is quite remarkable as he is yet to record his first statistic in college football.
The new advertisement is titled "It Hasn’t Changed," and features a star-studded lineup including Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, Josh Allen, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, and Jayson Tatum, with none other than Michael Jordan as the narrator.
The commercial, which premiered during the NBA Western Conference Finals, revives Gatorade's iconic "Is It In You?" tagline from the 1990s and early 2000s.
Narrated by Jordan and featuring Travis Scott's song "FE!N," the 60-second spot is part of Gatorade’s largest campaign. Lagway, featured in his Willis Wildkats uniform, adds to the commercial's dynamic appeal. Jordan praised the campaign, saying:
“The return of 'Is It In You?' Gatorade, a brand that has fueled champions for decades and relentlessly serves athletes on and off the field."
Worth $859K in terms of NIL valuation (As per On3), DJ Lagway was named the Gatorade 2023-2024 National Football Player of the Year. He boasts 4,604 yards and a Texas 6A record of 58 touchdowns while achieving a 72.1% completion rate.
A dual-threat quarterback, the Florida commit has 957 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. He committed to Billy Napier's team on December 7, 2022.
Also read: 5 star quarterbacks to watch out for after 2024 spring games ft. Oregon's Dillon Gabriel
DJ Lagway to benefit from Graham Mertz staying on for another season
The Florida athlete displayed his talent during the Orange and Blue game, completing 10 of 16 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. His athleticism was somewhat restrained as the team focused on protecting quarterbacks from contact.
Gators head coach Billy Napier is confident that DJ Lagway will greatly benefit from the return of veteran quarterback Graham Mertz. Napier views Mertz’s mentorship as a way to accelerate Lagway’s development.
"I think he sees a young player that's talented, and he is doing everything that he can do to help him take on more," Napier said.
"We're going to look back and say that one of the best things that happened to the University of Florida is Graham Mertz came back for another year while DJ Lagway was a true freshman."
Mertz's experience and leadership are seen as invaluable assets for the freshman and Billy Napier's team.
Also read: Florida quarterback 2024: Who is likely to start for Billy Napier's Gators this season?
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