All or Nothing: Oregon State’s QB DJ Uiagalelei

Quarterback (QB) DJ Uiagalelei has faded from Clemson and now begins anew at Oregon State.

The move was announced on December 24, and now there remains only one question…

Will a change of helmets do the trick?

Uiagalelei was a five-star recruit who never lived up to billing at Clemson and was pretty open about what happened after he recently left the school.

Uiagalelei lambasts Clemson

Game film trumps everything, but at the same time, every piece of information about a prospect is part of the evaluation puzzle.

Uiagalelei decided to get very vocal about his experience at Clemson.

I can’t say from experience that this will help his draft stock whatsoever.

It’s going to take him looking like a superstar at his new school to now have a chance in the first four rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft after this comment.

“I didn’t want to do what I was doing at Clemson,” Uiagalelei was reported saying in the Clemson Wire. “I didn’t really like what we did there scheme-wise. I didn’t think we did very much. I thought it was very basic. It didn’t help me out as a quarterback and play to my strengths. I wanted to go somewhere that would play to my strengths and go somewhere that would develop me for the NFL. Play-action, work under center, throw the ball deep.”

The most concerning part of this statement…

No personal responsibility for his role in what happened.

This is an alarming departure from what was being said heading into the 2022 season. Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney then said, “He never blamed anybody. He never made excuses. He kept his mouth shut, and he just played. He’s certainly got to play better, but we’ve got to be better around him.”

What does the game film say?

I put a third-round grade on Uiagalelei after evaluating four games in 2021. I walked away with four questions to focus on in 2022.

How did he answer those questions on game film?

1. Does he still look hesitant at times to pull the trigger? Yes, it turned out he was still hesitant to throw at times, which is backed by him taking one more sack in 2022 (22) than he did in 2021 (21).

2. Does the ball still have a tendency to sail high? Absolutely – this was a major problem again last season.

3. Has his completion percentage rebounded? Yes – It went from 55.6% in 2021 to 62.1% in 2022.

4. How does his deep game look? Decent, but it was still inconsistent.

So what’s really going on here?

Game film shows he really didn’t improve much from 2021 to 2022.

That’s what I believe really happened here.

He either looked good – – or he looked bad – – and there nothing in between.

I believe the inconsistency frustrated Uiagalelei more than anybody. Now he must believe by going to a more “passer-friendly” conference, he will be able to show “improvement.”

If that’s indeed the case, it’s a calculated play and one I can’t get into.

It fact, it turns me off.

I would have been far more impressed had he stayed at Clemson and worked to improve there.

#5 DJ Uiagalelei 6-foot-4, 235 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Spring 2023 Grade: Sixth-Round (I wouldn’t select him)

Projected by 0% (down from 9.1% on September 6) of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of June 1, 2023 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

2022 game film reviewed (Clemson Jersey No. 5): Wake Forest, NC State, FSU, and Syracuse (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2022 stats: 229/369 (62.1%), 2521 yards, 22 TD, 7 INT, 22 sacks, long-59

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Methodical paced inconsistent passer with average running ability. Very average pocket awareness and escape. Doesn’t always feel the pass rush. Inconsistent going through his progressions. Big arm. Liked attacking the intermediate to deep route levels with mixed results. Generally, ball placement was all over the road due to trying to aim the ball. Had 12 passes disrupted in this block of film study. Shifty lumbering physical runner who can make a man miss with average football speed.

What to watch for during the 2023 college football season

1. Downfield ball placement?

2. Ball security?

3. Holding the ball too long in the pocket?

4. Quicker pace?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock and has written for Sports Illustrated Lions, Jets, and 49ers, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.