DJ Uiagalelei is back in the transfer portal. After one season at Oregon State, where he looked much better under head coach Jonathan Smith, Uiagalelei has decided to enter the portal again.
But Jonathan Smith has left his Beavers HC role to head to East Lansing, taking the HC job for the Michigan State Spartans. Could the stars be aligning?
Oregon State QB DJ Uiagalelei Enters Transfer Portal
It was announced on Thursday, Nov. 30, that Uiagalelei will be entering the transfer portal after a stellar year at Oregon State. The transfer portal is no stranger to Uiagalelei, he decided to leave Clemson and enter the portal last season, landing at Oregon State.
But, as reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Uiagalelei could yet decide to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft. He has entered the portal and is weighing up his options ahead of making a decision.
If Uiagalelei is to stay in college, where could he land?
Potential Transfer Portal Landing Spots
Michigan State Spartans
Right now, Michigan State has no quarterbacks on scholarship in 2024. The answer to who starts could be an easier selection than they originally thought.
MORE: College Football Transfer Portal Tracker
Uiagalelei had possibly the best season of his college career under Smith at Oregon State, looking more confident and comfortable than he did during his days at Clemson.
With him now in the transfer portal, a connection is easily made. Could he join his old head coach, in a system he knows, and with a staff he trusts? If Uiagalelei is to stay in college another season, he would be a great fit in East Lansing.
Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky will be looking for the next man up with Devin Leary running out of eligibility. Kentucky should be a sort-after landing spot with Mark Stoops staying on as head coach for the Wildcats.
Uiagalelei could like what Stoops did for Will Levis, hoping to boost his quest to be an NFL starter. Levis was also a transfer quarterback who could take it to the next level in Lexington.
Kentucky has not been shy in entering the portal to find quarterbacks with 2023 starter Leary also coming through the transfer portal.
UCLA Bruins
Dante Moore entered the transfer portal after just one season with UCLA. He was expected to be the next guy up for the Bruins but has decided to move on. Whether reports into the future of Chip Kelly are to be believed or not, there is no doubt that UCLA needs to do something, and they need to start becoming more competitive quickly.
MORE: Five Transfer Portal Landing Spots for Dante Moore
UCLA has the deep pockets to entice a prominent transfer QB like Uiagalelei, and he is from the LA area. Could Uiagalelei be tempted to return home for a year before moving on to the NFL?
Oregon Ducks
There is no doubt this would be contentious, but there is potential that both parties could be mutually interested.
Oregon has had an excellent 2023 campaign, and QB Bo Nix will enter the NFL Draft as one of the top quarterbacks taken.
Nix himself came through the transfer portal, moving from Auburn a year ago. Back then, Nix’s dreams of playing in the NFL looked shattered. But, under Dan Lanning in Eugene, Nix has transformed into a quarterback worthy of winning the Heisman trophy.
For Uiagalelei, you only have to see what Oregon has done to transform Nix’s career and think about whether they can do the same for him. Plus, Uiagalelei will already be aware of the culture in Eugene. His brother Matayo Uiagalelei, an edge rusher, is already an Oregon Duck.
The NFL Draft
By entering the transfer portal, Uiagalelei gives himself options. He either gets an offer he likes from a college program. Or he hears something he likes from the NFL, which could make him decide to declare.
If Uiagalelei were to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft, he would likely be a day 3 pick. He will hope that he has a reasonable offer that will give him a chance to improve on his 2023 season form – while also paying decent NIL money.
The options are open for Uiagalelei. But, declaring for the NFL Draft is still a real possibility.