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Clemson football finds Trevor Lawrence’s successor in DJ Uiagalelei

By John Mitchell

CHESTNUT HILL, MA - NOVEMBER 10: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers leaves the field after the victory over the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
CHESTNUT HILL, MA - NOVEMBER 10: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers leaves the field after the victory over the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images) /
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Clemson football’s loaded 2020 recruiting class got even better on Sunday with the commitment of five-star quarterback DJ Uiagalelei.

On Sunday, Clemson football landed a commitment from five-star quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, the No. 1 pocket passer in the 2020 recruiting class according to the 247 composite rankings.

The 6-foot-4, 240-pound passer out of Bellflower, Calif., chose the Tigers over Oregon, giving Dabo Swinney his successor to Trevor Lawrence, who probably only has two years left on campus before he heads to the NFL.

Uiagalelei has rare arm talent that had him on the radar of almost every major college program. He also has the attention of Major League Baseball, with his ability to throw 95-plus miles per hour on the hill.

He announced his commitment on Twitter:

Uiagalelei adds to an already impressive haul for Clemson in 2020, bumping the Tigers past Alabama for the No. 1 ranked class in the composite rankings. He’s the fourth five-star prospect to commit to Clemson for the 2020 cycle, joining defensive tackle Bryan Bresee, running back Demarkcus Bowman, and cornerback Fred Davis II.

Swinney has led Clemson to two national championships in the last three seasons, and has done so without the benefit of a No. 1 recruiting class. The Tigers have plenty of momentum on the recruiting trail currently, and could come away with the highest ranked class in the program’s history.

Clemson’s 2020 class currently has 14 commitments with an average rating of 95.72. If that holds, it would be the highest per-player rating in the history of the internet recruiting era, topping Ohio State’s 2017 class.

The rich are likely to continue to get richer, too. Clemson is currently the crystal-ball favorite to land two more five-star recruits at the moment: defensive ends Jordan Burch and Myles Murphy.

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Uiagalelei continues the recent trend of high-profile players joining Clemson. Following a historic run by Deshaun Watson, the Tigers had one season worth of a place-holder in Kelly Bryant before landing Trevor Lawrence, the favorite to become the No. 1 overall pick in 2021. And now Uiagalelei could be the next first round quarterback in Death Valley.

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