“Match made in heaven”: J.Michael Sturdivant’s skillset pairs well with DJ Lagway

There wasn’t a huge roster turnover for Florida’s offense this offseason. The Gators returned prominent players at every position, which led to the staff adding just two scholarship offensive players through the transfer portal, including wide receiver J.Michael Sturdivant.

The 6’3, 213-pound receiver started his career at California where he hauled in 65 catches for 755 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022, earning First Team Freshman All American selections from three different publications.

Sturdivant’s production steadily declined in his two seasons with UCLA, which included a career low 315 yards and two touchdowns in 2024. After entering the transfer portal for the second time, Sturdivant found a home in Gainesville. Florida’s recent success with transfer portal receivers, which includes Elijhah Badger, Chimere Dike, and former first round pick Ricky Pearsall, gave Sturdivant the confidence he needed to sign with Florida.

“They did a great job while they were here,” Sturdivant said on Florida’s recent success at wide receiver. “Billy G [Gonzales] and Napier, they know what they’re talking about. So being able to see the progress that they had while they were here is obviously a good thing to see. So I came here, and I want to use my abilities the best I can to help this team win. And I trust Billy G and Coach Napier with everything. So I came here with a lot of belief, a lot of trust, and I’m excited to go out and play.”

Primarily an outside receiver, Sturdivant’s skillset pairs well with sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway’s ability to hit the deep ball with unheard of accuracy. Despite weighing 213 pounds, Sturdivant logged a speed of 23 MPH in the offseason.

“It’s been a blessing to be blessed with that speed, and I’ve worked at it consistently and it’s a part of my game, it’s part of my identity. So it’s something that I take a lot of pride in and I use to help this team win,” Sturdivant said.

As a receiver who has been frequently targeted on deep passes over his career, Sturdivant combined for 17 contested catches at an above 45% success rate over the last three seasons. Back in 2023 Sturdivant earned a route running grade of 94.7 on deep routes, according to Pro Football Focus.

“He’s got a great deep ball, and I got a lot of speed and I love to make the big plays, so I feel like that’s like a match made in heaven,” Sturdivant said on playing with Lagway. “So I’m very excited to be able to go out and help DJ elevate, help this team make a lot of explosive plays.”

The Gators needed a down field threat after the departure of Elijah Badger this offseason, and Sturdivant is someone that brings even more upside to the position given his athletic ability and straight-line speed.

Nick Marcinko
Nick is a recent graduate from the University of Florida with a degree in Telecommunications. He is passionate about all sports but specifically baseball and football. Nick interned at Inside the Gators and worked part time with Knights247 before joining the Gator Country family. Nick enjoys spending his free time golfing and at the beach.