DJ Uiagalelei, Joseph Ngata land on ESPN's most important players for Playoff race

DJ Uiagalelei has drawn rave reviews early in Clemson camp.

by TigerNet Staff - Thu Aug 11 09:47:52 GMT-04:00 2022

Clemson is seeking a return to the College Football Playoff this season after missing out for the first time since 2014 last year.

ESPN tagged the 25 most important players to the Playoff race and two Tigers made the list ($).

At No. 3 overall is Tigers starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, who was fourth on the list last year.

"Let's be honest: There's almost literally nowhere to go but up for the junior who looked so promising as a freshman fill-in in 2020 but did very little right a year ago," ESPN's Bill Connelly said. "He finished 97th in Total QBR, and you can't even point to late-season improvement as a source of optimism -- he was 98th over the second half of the season. A 'game-changing leap' might barely move him into the top 50.

"Be it Uiagalelei or freshman Cade Klubnik, Clemson needs infinitely more from the QB position than it got last year. But if there's a bright side, it's that the Tigers won't need a Heisman-level performance -- with merely a good offense, their incredible defense should be able to drive an ACC title run and CFP push."

Down the list at No. 17 is potentially another key member of Clemson's passing game with wide receiver Joseph Ngata.

"Quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei suffered through a dire 2021 season, but for as poorly as he played, he didn't get a ton of help either," said Connelly. "He also didn't get a full season from Ngata. The former four-star recruit produced some of Clemson's most important early-season moments -- a 44-yard catch that kept the Tigers within a touchdown of Georgia in the fourth quarter; a 54-yarder that set up Clemson's last score in a tight win over Boston College -- but missed four of the final seven games and caught just five passes after Oct. 15. If he enjoys a breakout year, so might Uiagalelei."

Also making the list was South Carolina's Spencer Rattler at No. 23 and Notre Dame's next QB, either Tyler Buchner (sophomore; 298 passing yards and 3 TDs/3 INTs last year) or Drew Pyne (sophomore; 224 passing yards and two touchdowns last season).