Clemson might sign another No. 1 QB (at the perfect time)

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It’s not just that the Tigers are atop the sport. And they could land DJ Uiagalelei just in time for Trevor Lawrence to turn pro.

LOS ANGELES — The highest-ranked player at the Under Armour All-America Los Angeles camp, the same weekend as the NFL Combine, wasn’t participating.

That’s because the class of 2020’s No. 1 quarterback, DJ Uiagalelei, had suffered a tendon injury to the middle finder on his non-throwing hand, which requires him to wear a stabilizing brace. Nonetheless, he showed up to support his Bellflower (California) St. John Bosco teammates.

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Uiagalelei is considered the top QB prospect in the land, and as of early March, is universally a top-10 prospect regardless of position.

He stands an imposing 6’4, 240, with a huge arm, good athleticism, etc. And his production as a two-year starter (so far) backs it up: 68 percent completions, 6,000+ yards, and 77 touchdowns against just nine interceptions. He was named first-team All-American by both MaxPreps and USA Today.

He is also an elite baseball prospect, like a couple of the top players in the 2019 class. It’s no wonder he had garnered more than 30 offers by early March.

I caught up with Uiagalelei to discuss his recruitment and his progress as he returns from injury.

“I’ll be good for football come the fall,” he said. “I actually threw a bullpen session the other day, too.”

Uiagalelei’s started to narrow down his college decision, and Clemson feels like the favorite.

His top five: Clemson, Oregon, LSU, “probably Georgia, and probably Mt. Sac,” he said, with a smile at the last one, referring to Mt. San Antonio Community College.

Distance is not a factor, but competition is.

“I want to leave the state of California,” he said. “I want to play the best football, on the biggest stage, and right now, USC and UCLA is not where it is at.”

Should the Tigers be considered the odds-on favorite against the field?

“I’d say it’s like 50/50,” he said when asked who had a better chance of signing him: Clemson or the rest of his top schools.

He plans to visit Clemson for its spring game, but does not plan to announce a commitment “probably until the beginning of summer.” But he would not rule out a silent commitment to reserve a spot at the school of his choice.

Other than winning two titles in three years, there’s a lot that Uiagalelei likes about the Tigers.

“I talk to those guys all the time,” he said, mentioning Dabo Swinney and QBs coach Brandon Streeter by name.

The star baseball prospect got a good laugh out of Swinney jumping in the batting cage at St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training practice.

Uiagalelei, who is outward in his strong Christian faith, thinks that the Tigers have reciprocated that.

“I want a staff which will continue to develop me not just as a football player, but as a person,” he said. “I want to continue to get better as a person. Football is only so long. So for me, the big thing is keeping God first in my life and continue to become a better person and become closer with him.”

It was part of Clemson’s strong first impression, similar to how Tua Tagovailoa decided on Alabama in the class of 2017.

Swinney’s outward Christianity “was the first thing I liked when I went up there in June of last year,” Uiagalelei said. “I can just feel the presence of God up there. That’s why I like them so much.”

If Uiagalelei chooses the Tigers, the timing might be just about perfect.

Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2018 class, is eligible for the NFL Draft after the 2020 season. The national champion is already being talked about as the first-overall pick in April 2021’s draft.

Uiagalelei would push hard to play as soon as possible, but assuming Lawrence is healthy, he’ll be hard to unseat. Most five-star QBs transfer at some point, including 2017 Clemson signee Hunter Johnson, who fell behind Lawrence. But the timing could work well — Uiagalelei learning for one year, then taking the reins when Lawrence turns pro.

Other than the Clemson coaches, a coach Uiagalelei said he connects with is Marcus Arroyo, the offensive coordinator at Oregon.

“I talk to him three times a week,” Uiagalelei said of Arroyo. They talked on the phone the weekend of the camp, watching the NFL Combine as they did.

Perhaps Oregon can make a major move before he makes his decision. Or perhaps Clemson will sign its fourth elite QB prospect in the last seven cycles, joining Deshaun Watson, Johnson, and Lawrence.