From five-star to undrafted: D.J. Uiagalelei signs with Chargers after winding road from Clemson, FSU

Saturday evening after Memphis CB Kobee Minor became this year’s Mr. Irrelevant as the 257th and final selection of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Patriots, the undrafted free agent frenzy began. 

There are plenty of examples of undrafted free agents who go on to long NFL careers, but it’s not the path most envision for themselves — especially those who were once highly touted recruits. This year’s quarterback class featured an awful lot of draft week disappointment, headlined by Shedeur Sanders‘ fall to the Browns in the fifth round, but as interesting from a college football perspective were the slides of two former five-star QBs. 

Quinn Ewers was one of the most highly-touted QB prospects of the last decade, but the former Ohio State and Texas QB lasted all the way to the seventh round when the Dolphins finally scooped him up. Then there’s D.J. Uiagalelei, who was supposed to be the heir apparent to Trevor Lawrence in Clemson, but struggled with the Tigers, had a brief bounce back with Oregon State and flopped again in his ACC return at Florida State. 

Uiagalelei projected as a potential first-rounder back when he was the No. 2 overall player in the class of 2020 (behind Bryce Young and ahead of C.J. Stroud). However, after his rough college career he found himself just looking for an invite to camp once the draft ended. That invite came courtesy of the Los Angeles Chargers, who signed him along with 17 other UDFAs on Saturday, with a reported signing bonus of just $3,000 (via Aaron Wilson). 

Some have speculated he could look to change positions and test out a move to tight end, but he’s not exactly fleet of foot, so it’s hard to see how there’s much NFL upside to him at that position. As such, it’d seem like he’ll go in looking to show something under center. 

The Chargers’ current quarterback room features Justin Herbert as the unquestioned starter with Taylor Heinicke as his backup and Trey Lance joining as their project QB3 going into camp. For Uiagalelei, it’s not clear if there’s a path to a spot in that room, but he’s the only rookie QB the Chargers are bringing in via either the draft or as a UDFA, so the opportunity could be there. Lance has struggled impressing coaching staffs in San Francisco and Dallas prior to his arrival in Los Angeles, which could also open the door if Uiagalelei can tap into the talent that once made him a coveted recruit. 

For a QB once considered a future star of the sport, he will need to embrace the grind of being on the bottom of the ladder if he’s going to stick in the NFL and show something to Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers staff we haven’t seen from him in some time.