Clemson football: Ohio State wants next Uiagalelei great

Clemson football recruiting: Ohio State wants the next Uiagalelei great

The Clemson football program has transitioned to D.J. Uiagalelei era seamlessly, but he may not be the only one with the ‘Uiagalelei’ name who has a bright future.

D.J. Uiagalelei was the rated as the No. 1 overall QB in the nation during the 2020 class and he has already shown high potential during his freshman season when he took over for Trevor Lawrence as a starter in two games where he threw for nearly 800 yards and accounted for six touchdown.

But now there’s another Uiagalelei by the name of Matayo who is taking the recruiting world by storm.

Matayo, the younger brother of D.J., is a 2023 prospect who is currently rated as a 4-star defensive end by 247 Sports. He already has offers from nearly 20 FBS programs, including Alabama and LSU. The latest to join the offer party? The Ohio State Buckeyes and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

It should come as no surprise that Ohio State and Notre Dame want Matayo and see his upside. The Buckeyes have recruited at an extremely high level over the past few years and notching a commitment from the younger Uiagaleleie would be a major ‘get.’

While Matayo is listed as a defensive end by recruiting services, he has been working as a tight end at many camps and combines. His elite athleticism combined with a 6-foot-5 frame at 260 pounds has scouts dreaming.

Don’t worry, though. Clemson football is going to have a major chance to land the stud prospect when it’s all said and done

Clemson doesn’t offer recruits this early in the process and the first round of 2023 offers for the Tigers will typically go out on June 1st.

Matayo will be one of those first offers.

While Matayo will have a decision to make, his father- Big Dave- eluded on Twitter that Clemson football will absolutely be in the mix.

It will be exciting to see how Matayo’s recruitment plays out no matter where he ends up. There’s no doubt that his elite athleticism and footwork combined with that big frame will make him a prime prospect not just at the collegiate level, but in the NFL one day.