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Who is DJ Uiagalelei? Former Clemson, Oregon State quarterback is considering FSU football
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- Who is DJ Uiagalelei? Former Clemson, Oregon State quarterback is considering FSU football
Florida State football met with an important visitor this weekend.
First reported by ESPN's Pete Thamel , former Clemson and Oregon State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei made an official visit to Tallahassee this weekend.
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With Jordan Travis exhausting his eligibility and with an unknown quarterback with Tate Rodemaker and Brock Glenn combining for three collegiate starts, the Seminoles are looking for a veteran leader in the QB room for the 2024 season.
FSU head coach Mike Norvell and his staff are familiar with Uiagalelei, as he played for three seasons under Dabo Swinney and ACC rival Clemson before transferring to Oregon State this past offseason.
As a graduate transfer, Uiagalelei would have one year left of eligibility, helping bridge the gap to Glenn and incoming freshman Luke Kromenhoek in the future. Redshirt freshman AJ Duffy already entered his name in the transfer portal.
Uiagalelei and Washington State transfer quarterback Cam Ward are expected to be at the top of the wish list for FSU at quarterback in the transfer portal.
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Here's what you need to know about Uiagalelei.
How tall is DJ Uiagalelei ?
Age: 22 (April 17, 2001)
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight : 252 pounds
DJ Uiagalelei was a prized high school recruit
As a junior in 2018, Uiagalelei was the USA Today High School Offensive Player of the Year after throwing for 3,366 yards and 48 touchdowns at St. John Bosco in Bellflower, California.
He passed for 4,225 yards and 48 touchdowns as a senior. Uiagalelei also played baseball in high school.
Uiagalelei was the No. 2 overall player in the 2020 recruiting class, per 247Sports. He enrolled at Clemson over offers from USC, Oregon, Alabama and Arizona , among others.
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DJ Uiagalelei followed Trevor Lawrence at Clemson
Clemson Tigers quarterback DJ Uiagalelei (5) passes the ball down the field to his teammate. The Clemson Tigers defeated the Florida State Seminoles 34-28 at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022.
Uiagalelei played three seasons with the Tigers, playing in 36 games (28 starts). He completed 59.8% of his passes for 5,681 yards, 36 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.
He also showed off his rushing abilities with 275 rushes for 913 yards and 15 touchdowns.
In his final season with the Tigers in 2022, Uiagalelei completed 61.9% of his passes for 2,521 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He added 545 yards and seven scores on the ground.
Uiagalelei was 22-6 as a starter, matching 1981 national championship quarterback Homer Jordan for the seventh-most career wins by a Clemson starting quarterback. He departed Clemson ranked in the Top 10 in career pass attempts (861, 5th), completions (515, 6th), passing touchdowns (36, 7th), rushing touchdowns by a QB (15, tied for 7th) and passing yards (5,681, 8th).
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DJ Uiagalelei stood out in lone season at Oregon State
Sep 16, 2023; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Oregon State Beavers quarterback DJ Uiagalelei (5) looks to throw during the second half against the San Diego State Aztecs at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Uiagalelei proved a lot in his lone season with the Beavers following his three-year stint with Clemson. He entered the transfer portal soon after head coach Jonathan Smith accepted the head coaching position at Michigan State.
He threw for 2,638 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also totaled 219 rushing yards and an additional six rushing touchdowns.
Uiagalelei finished 12th nationally in QBR (QB Rating) at 80.8 as the Beavers finished 8-4 overall and 5-4 in the Pac-12.
Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports), Instagram (tlhnolesports) and YouTube channel (NoleSportsTD).
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: DJ Uiagalelei: What to know about quarterback visiting FSU football
