Clemson Football: DJ Uiagalelei has the highest upside of any Tiger QB
While Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson were once-in-a-lifetime QBs, could it be D.J. Uiagalelei who has the highest upside of the Clemson football QBs?
The difference between the success the Clemson football program has had compared to other dynasties in the past has a lot to do with the ability to recruit and hit on the most important position on the field.
The legacy started with Tajh Boyd. From there, the Tigers built with Deshaun Watson– who left the Clemson football program as arguably the greatest of all-time- and now they are currently in the Trevor Lawrence era.
Both Watson and Lawrence led the Tigers to two National Championship appearances and one National Title victory apiece and it should be noted that Lawrence still possesses two more years of eligibility, though he is expected to declare for the NFL Draft next spring.
The back-to-back eras of Watson and Lawrence have been absolutely unprecedented for Clemson football. These two guys are arguably the best two quarterbacks in program history and are lined up to be successful NFL quarterbacks for many years to come.
While Watson and Lawrence have been absolutely phenomenal- and Lawrence isn’t done yet- the Clemson football program has a quarterback on its roster that could exceed either of their potentials: Freshman D.J. Uiagalelei.
Dabo Swinney told the media Friday during a call-in press conference that Uiagalelei makes Trevor Lawrence look ‘normal’ at times because of his ability to sling the rock.
When you look at Uiagalelei’s film, you can see what Swinney is talking about.
Uiagalelei- a 6-foot-4, 246 pound quarterback– is the perfect comp for Dante Culpepper. While some have forgotten just how dominant Culpepper was at UCF when he was healthy, you need to realize that the quarterback position is in good hands once Lawrence does leave.
Uiagalelei has the arm strength of Trevor Lawrence, the tank-built body of Tajh Boyd (but taller) to generate physicality and take contact, and the athleticism of Deshaun Watson. When you combine all of those skill sets into one QB, you can see what has the scouts talking.
dark. Next. Is UNC becoming legitimate competition in the ACC?
When talking about upside, there may not be a better quarterback to put on the Clemson football uniform yet than D.J. Uiagalelei and it will be interesting to see how his career progresses as a Tiger.