Florida State announced the addition of Oregon State transfer quarterback DJ Uiagalelei on Tuesday. The No. 69 overall prospect and No. 13 quarterback in 247Sports' transfer rankings, Uiagalelei will be immediately eligible as a graduate transfer despite FSU being his third program since he enrolled at Clemson in 2020.
Uiagalelei visited Florida State in December, and the Seminoles have long been seen as the favorite to land his services. The former five-star prospect also considered a move to the NFL. He's set to replace star Jordan Travis, who's out of eligibility after five years at Florida State.
"I'm excited to have DJ join the Nole Family," Florida State coach Mike Norvell said in a statement. "He is a proven winner, and his record as a starting quarterback is impressive. He has showcased incredible leadership on the field, and how he treats people off the field is remarkable. DJ is an extremely hard worker who is excited to continue to develop in this system and be around the great playmakers we have here."
Uiagalelei spent one season at Oregon State after transferring in from Clemson and enjoyed his most prolific collegiate campaign yet, setting career highs with 2,638 yards passing and a 145.0 passer rating. Uiagalelei's 8.4 yards per pass attempt hit a personal record and he was responsible for 27 total touchdowns. Uiagalelei elected to transfer after Beavers coach Jonathan Smith left for Michigan State.
The 2023 season was a sign of progress for Uiagalelei, who arrived on Clemson's campus four years ago with lofty expectations. He is one of the highest-rated recruits in 247Sports history, holding a rare 101 grade out of high school that made him the No. 2 prospect nationally and No. 1 pro-style quarterback in his class. Uiagelelei started two games as a freshman in 2020 with Trevor Lawrence sidelined and flashed that immense potential, leading the Tigers to wins against Boston College and undefeated Notre Dame while throwing for 781 yards and four touchdowns.
His first two seasons as a full-time starter were plagued with inconsistency, though. He threw nine touchdowns to 10 interceptions as a sophomore in 2021 and Clemson missed out on the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2014. He returned in 2022 and showed some improvement, finishing the year with 22 passing touchdowns, but he was benched in favor of five-star freshman Cade Klubnik in a narrow win against Syracuse on Oct. 22 after throwing two interceptions. Uiagalelei finished the regular season as the starter, but Clemson turned to Klubnik in the ACC Championship Game, causing Uiagalelei to enter the portal for the first time on Dec. 4, 2022.
A bridge to the future
At the very least, Uiagalelei should give Florida State one year of above-average quarterback play while the Seminoles let some of their younger arms come along. Quarterback is also a spot of need on FSU's roster moving forward.
In addition to Travis' departure, the Noles lost backup Tate Rodemaker to the transfer portal. That left true freshman Brock Glenn as their only scholarship quarterback in their Orange Bowl loss to Georgia. Glenn started in both of Florida State's postseason games, leading his team to a 16-6 win in the ACC Championship Game against Louisville in his first real action of the year.
But his two major appearances revealed that Glenn, a four star in the class of 2023, is far from a finished product. He completed 17 of his 47 pass attempts for 294 yards with two interceptions against the Cardinals and Bulldogs.
Florida State also just signed another QB of the future in 2024's Luke Kromenhoek, the No. 35 prospect nationally and No. 4 quarterback in his class. He went through Orange Bowl practices with the Seminoles and could really benefit from a year behind Uiagalelei as he adjusts to a higher level of play.
