DJ Uiagalelei dodges NFL Draft questions, focusing on 2022 season over future plans
No. 5 Clemson is cruising, out to a 7-0 start and looking to take complete control of the ACC Atlantic division this weekend in a showdown with unbeaten No. 14 Syracuse. Not exactly the time for DJ Uiagalelei NFL Draft questions.
Still, you can forgive local reporters for wondering about the Clemson quarterback’s future plans given how stark a turnaround the junior has made from 2021 to 2022.
You can also probably understand if Uiagalelei has absolutely no plans of entertaining that conversation right now.
“For me, man, I haven’t thought about anything,” Uiagalelei said, asked if there was a chance he could return to Clemson in 2023. “I’ve just been focused on the season. Right now I’m focused on Syracuse for this week. Haven’t thought about anything like that yet.”
The jump Uiagalelei has made from his sophomore season to his junior season has been remarkable.
Lighter and more mobile now after shedding some weight in the offseason, he has already eclipsed last season’s rushing total on 24 fewer carries. He’s run for 337 yards and four touchdowns in seven games.
He’s also increased his completion percentage by 8.7 percentage points, to 64.3%. He’s thrown for 1,665 yards with 17 touchdowns and only two interceptions.
DJ Uiagalelei in the NFL Draft, though? Talk for another time.
“I’ve just been focused on the season,” Uiagalelei said. “I feel like that stuff will take care of itself, whatever happens. But for me I’m just focused on the season, focused on the guys around me, focused on the offense, defense and the guys in the locker room and the coaches. That’s all I’ve been focused on.”
Clemson winning should help keep DJ Uiagalelei’s NFL Draft stock high
Few things keep NFL scouts happy like excellent play, especially at quarterback, where attitude and leadership are key aspects in that equation. And right now Clemson is going as Uiagalelei goes.
Logical conclusion: If Clemson’s able to keep playing well and keep winning, it probably stands to reason DJ Uiagalelei’s NFL Draft stock will only continue to improve.
It’s backwards thinking to look at it that way by the sound of it, though, at least for Uiagalelei.
“I don’t know too much. I feel like for me, I feel like my game can get a lot better each and every week,” he said. “I don’t know what NFL scouts (think). I haven’t talked to anybody about that type of stuff, but for me I feel like each and every week I play I want to try and get better. I feel like there was a lot of stuff I did good last week and I feel like there was a lot of stuff I didn’t do as good last week. I feel like each and every week, man, there’s stuff I can improve on and continue to keep getting better, so that’s been my main focus.”
Next chance to pump out some more excellent game tape: Saturday against Syracuse. The Tigers and Orange will kick off at noon ET on ABC.