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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Oregon State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei is entering the NCAA transfer portal on Thursday, sources confirmed to ESPN.
Uiagalelei will be deciding in the upcoming weeks whether he’ll pick a third college address or declare for the NFL draft, sources told ESPN. If he chooses college, he’ll immediately be available to play in his final season of eligibility.
In a market where many of the sport’s top programs will be seeking new starting quarterbacks, Uiagalelei’s experience and production — he has a 30-10 record in 40 career starts — will separate him and likely put him among the top handful of quarterbacks available this offseason.
Uiagalelei played well in his lone season at Oregon State, throwing for 2,638 yards, 21 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. He impressed coaches with the way he integrated himself into the program and his touch in the passing game.
He led Oregon State to an 8-4 season, including wins over No. 10 Utah and No. 18 UCLA. He threw five touchdown passes in a win over California.
Uiagalelei, a Southern California native, arrived at Clemson in 2020 as one of the country’s top overall recruits, as ESPN ranked him as the top pocket passer. He had a strong start, including throwing for 439 yards and two touchdowns at Notre Dame in 2020, but ultimately plateaued as Clemson’s offensive issues kept the program from competing at the highest levels.
He served as Clemson’s primary starter for two seasons, but eventually got pulled late in the 2022 season for Cade Klubnik. In his career, he’s thrown for 8,319 yards and 57 touchdowns over four seasons.
ON3 and 247 Sports first reported Uiagalelei’s intention to enter the transfer portal.