Oregon State Newcomer Profile: QB DJ Uiagalelei

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While quarterback Aidan Chiles may have been the Beavers highest rated commitment out of the prep ranks, the biggest name to come to Corvallis this offseason is former Clemson quarterback and five-star recruit, DJ Uiagaeleli.

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THE STORY / HIS RECRUITMENT:

Following in the footsteps of Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence at Clemson, DJ Uiagalelei stepped into a tough situation at Clemson. The Southern California native was expected to help the Tigers not miss a beat and remain at the top of the college football world.

It's safe to say his time with Clemson ultimately did not go to plan though his career was certainly not a bad one either.

His first year with the Tigers in 2020 showed promising results. In nine games, he completed 78 of 117 passes for 914 yards and five touchdowns while backing up Trevor Lawrence. In 2021, he stepped into the starting quarterback role for the Tigers. It was an up-and-down season and the stats ultimately weren't the prettiest. He completed just 55.6% of his passes for nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions. That being said, from year one as a starter to year two as a starter, there were vast improvements.

This past fall, the former five-star saw his completion percentage rise to 61.9% on just four fewer throws, passing for 2,521 yards and 22 touchdowns. While improving in all three of those categories, he also cut his interceptions down from 10 to seven. However, after a slow start in the ACC Championship game, Uiagalelei was benched in favor of 2022 five-star signee Cade Klubnik. He would enter the transfer portal shortly afterward.

In terms of his transfer portal recruitment, it was a fairly quiet one. there wasn't much that came out regarding where he was considering outside unconfirmed reports regarding Hawaii. That being said, the Beavers were quietly recruiting the Los Angeles native and sold him on coming to Corvallis without him ever stepping foot on campus.