The 2025 NFL Draft was a humbling moment for former Florida State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, who went undrafted despite once being the highest-rated quarterback in the 2020 recruiting class. On April 26, shortly after the draft concluded at Lambeau Field, the Los Angeles Chargers signed him as an undrafted free agent, but the deal came with a signing bonus that raised eyebrows: just $3,000. For a player who was once seen as a potential No. 1 overall pick, the figure marks a steep fall from grace and has sparked a wave of reactions from fans, many of whom are questioning whether he even deserved that much.
Uiagalelei’s journey to this point has been a rollercoaster. A California native from the Inland Empire, he burst onto the scene at St. John Bosco High School, where he threw for 4,225 yards and 48 touchdowns as a senior, earning five-star status and the 2018 USA Today High School Football Offensive Player of the Year award. He chose Clemson over 30 offers, stepping in as the heir apparent to Trevor Lawrence. His freshman year showed promise—two starts, 914 yards, and five touchdowns—but things unraveled after Lawrence left for the NFL. Over three seasons with the Tigers, Uiagalelei went 22-6 as a starter, completing 59.8% of his passes for 5,681 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions, while rushing for 913 yards and 15 scores. He left Clemson ranked in the top 10 in program history for passing yards, completions, and passing touchdowns, but his inconsistent play, including more interceptions than touchdowns in 2021, led to him losing the starting job to Cade Klubnik in the 2022 ACC Championship Game.
Hoping for a fresh start, Uiagalelei transferred to Oregon State in 2023, where he had his best season, throwing for 2,638 yards and 21 touchdowns while adding 219 rushing yards and six scores. But another transfer to Florida State in 2024 didn’t pan out as hoped. A broken finger on his throwing hand, suffered in a loss to SMU, limited him to just five games, where he managed 1,065 yards, four touchdowns, and six interceptions on a 53.8% completion rate as the Seminoles stumbled to a 1-4 start. Over his five-year college career, Uiagalelei tallied 9,384 passing yards, 61 touchdowns, and 30 interceptions, plus 1,124 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns—not bad numbers, but far from the elite production expected of a former five-star recruit.
The $3,000 signing bonus—confirmed by NFL insider Aaron Wilson—has been a focal point of discussion. Fans on X didn’t hold back, with one user commenting, “I’m legit surprised he even got picked up at all,” while another said, “He’s never ever been good. He’s lucky to even receive that $3,000 dollars.” A third pointed out the harsh reality of the amount in Los Angeles, noting, “Sad. That won’t even buy a few good meals in Los Angeles!” Another user was blunt: “He’s not good though so, makes sense.” The sentiment reflects a broader narrative around Uiagalelei’s career—he’s been viewed as a player with all the physical tools but unable to consistently translate that into on-field success. At 6-foot-4, 252 pounds, with a strong arm and the ability to run (he’s been compared to a Ben Roethlisberger-type mover), he’s got the measurables NFL teams covet. But his decision-making, accuracy under pressure, and inability to stay healthy at FSU raised red flags.
Now with the Chargers, Uiagalelei faces an uphill battle to make the roster. The team’s quarterback room is crowded: Justin Herbert is the entrenched starter, with Taylor Heinicke and Trey Lance—another former high-profile draft pick trying to revive his career—competing for backup roles. Some, like Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, have suggested the Chargers might try Uiagalelei at tight end, given his size and athleticism, especially since the team has a need at the position after drafting Oronde Gadsden II in the fifth round and signing Tyler Conklin in free agency. For comparison, the Chargers’ biggest tight end last year, Will Dissly, was 6-foot-4, 265 pounds, so Uiagalelei’s frame isn’t far off. But whether he can adapt to a new position—or even stick as a quarterback—remains to be seen.
Uiagalelei’s $3,000 bonus is a stark contrast to the hype he once carried, and it’s even more glaring when you consider that, as one X post pointed out, Justin Herbert makes $6,849 per hour—more than double Uiagalelei’s entire bonus in just 60 minutes. The Chargers, coming off an 11-6 season and a wild-card loss to the Texans in 2024, are taking a low-risk flyer on a player who’s just 90 minutes from his hometown of Inland Empire, playing at SoFi Stadium. Rookie minicamp will be his first chance to prove he belongs, but with the odds stacked against him, Uiagalelei will need to channel the potential that once made him a top recruit—and prove the doubters wrong all over again. If he doesn’t, his NFL dream might be over before it truly begins, though he does have a fallback: the Los Angeles Dodgers drafted him as a right-handed pitcher in the 20th round of the 2023 MLB Draft, giving him another path if football doesn’t work out.
