The NCAA transfer portal officially opened on Monday, and one of the biggest names in college football entered in his name in the database shortly after noon ET. Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, a two-year starter for the Tigers, announced his intentions to move on after being benched in the ACC Championship Game win over North Carolina in favor of five-star freshman Cade Klubnik.
Uiagalelei threw for 5,681 yards, 36 touchdowns and 17 interceptions through three seasons, which wasn’t up to par with the five-star hype that followed him to the Upstate. Uiagalelei was a five-star prospect and the No. 10 overall player in the Class of 2020 out of St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California, and was considered the “next in line” for coach Dabo Swinney’s squad after the success of former starters Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson.
The transfer portal is loaded with talented quarterbacks, and there’s no doubt that Uiagalelei’s upside will be attractive to coaches in the market for a new signal caller. Where will he land? Let’s lay out some options.
The Bruins immediately came to mind the moment rumors of Uiagalelei’s transfer surfaced. Senior Dorian Thompson-Robinson was very successful under coach Chip Kelly, throwing for 2,883 yards and 25 touchdowns while rushing for 632 yards and 11 touchdowns. Uiagalelei rushed for 913 yards and 15 touchdowns during his career with Clemson, which makes him a perfect match for Kelly based on how he used not only Thompson-Robinson but other quarterbacks throughout his collegiate coaching career.
Plus, Uiagalelei is from the greater Los Angeles area, not far from UCLA’s Westwood campus. There isn’t any indication that Uiagalelei wasn’t a cultural fit at Clemson, but moving closer to home is something that is typically attractive to players who transfer.
The Ducks aren’t necessarily a perfect geographic fit if Uiagalelei does want to be closer to home, but it’s a West Coast offensive juggernaut that could have an opening at quarterback. Senior Bo Nix had a fantastic campaign in 2022 after transferring from Auburn, throwing for 3,388 yards and 27 touchdowns while rushing for 504 yards and 14 touchdowns. Offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham left to take over the Arizona State job, but it’s highly unlikely that coach Dan Lanning will switch up his philosophy since it worked so well for Nix.
There’s one question mark to keep in…
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