The Florida State Seminoles have DJ Uiagalelei at the quarterback position this year. Uiagalelei was once a highly-touted recruit.
Where did Uiagalelei get his start, and where did his path to Florida State lead him along the way?
Where Did DJ Uiagalelei Play in High School?
Uiagalelei played high school football at St. John Bosco in Bellflower, Calif., a boys-only preparatory school that’s produced more than a few NFL players.
Those among St. John Bosco’s NFL alumni include Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Trent McDuffie and former first-round quarterback Josh Rosen. Uiagalelei will look to become the next St. John Bosco product to make the leap to the professional level.
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It didn’t take long for expectations to flower for Uiagalelei’s impending football career. By his junior season, Uiagalelei was built like a linebacker — listed at 6’4″ and almost 250 pounds. And his superlative physical profile magnified his production.
As a junior, Uiagalelei passed for 3,366 yards and 46 touchdowns. As a senior, he added 4,225 yards and 48 more touchdowns to his career totals. He was the Polynesian Football Player of the Year in 2019, and he became a highly-coveted high school prospect.
In the 2020 recruiting class, Uiagalelei was a five-star recruit on many outlets, and on some — including 247 Sports — he was the top pro-style quarterback in the entire nation. He committed to play football under Dabo Swinney at Clemson and serve as the heir apparent to future first-overall pick Trevor Lawrence.
How Did Uiagalelei End Up at Florida State?
Clemson is where Uiagalelei’s path to Florida State began. Though Uiagalelei showed promise in relief for Lawrence in 2020, his returns as a full-time starter in 2021 were less than stellar.
As a second-year player in 2021, Uiagalelei completed just 55.6% of his passes for 2,246 yards, nine touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
The 2022 campaign was a bit more fruitful. Uiagalelei eclipsed 2,500 yards and threw 22 TDs to seven INTs, and he added 545 yards and seven scores on the ground. But still, down-to-down consistency was lacking.
Ahead of the 2023 season, Uiagalelei transferred to Oregon State to become the starting quarterback under respected offensive mind Jonathan Smith.
Under Smith, Uiagalelei achieved a career-high in passing yards with 2,638. But after the season, Smith left to become head coach of the Michigan State Spartans, and Uiagalelei transferred again.
This time, Uiagalelei was once again looking for an opportunity to compete for college football stardom, and he found that opportunity at Florida State. The Seminoles lost Jordan Travis to the 2024 NFL Draft and had a void at the position. Uiagalelei made his bid to fill it.
The first game of Uiagalelei’s career at Florida State was uninspiring. Uiagalelei passed for just 193 yards in a shocking season-opening loss against Georgia Tech. But the hope is that he can use his elite raw talent to elevate his team down the stretch.
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