Uiagalelei Appears Much Slimmer in Workout Video

CLEMSON, S.C -- Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei looked slimmer and healthy during a workout in Texas on Sunday.

Rivals writer Cole Patterson tweeted a small video on the Clemson quarterback, as he worked out at the 3D Quarterback Camp in Texas over the weekend.

The video shows Uiagalelei throwing a 25-yard out, which he completed with ease. But it was very noticeable how slimming the Inland Empire, California native looked.

Uiagalelei was playing at around 250 pounds last season. He looked much slimmer in the video.

During national signing day earlier this month, offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter said Uiagalelei had already dropped about 10 pounds.

The 6-foot-4 quarterback also appeared much healthier. If you recall, Uiagalelei played the last five games of the season with a brace on his right knee after injuring it in the Louisville game. He came back and finished the game with the brace on and wore it the rest of the season.

Though it appeared Uiagalelei was wearing some kind of brace on his right knee under his sweatpants, he looked very comfortable dropping back and his footwork seemed okay.

Also, it appears Uiagalelei's throwing hand has healed. Near the end of the season, he banged up his index finger on his right hand and played the last couple of games with the banged up finger.

In the video below, Uiagalelei seems to have no effects from the injured finger, as he threw the out-pass on time and on target.

#Clemson QB DJ Uiagalelei getting some work in at #3DQBTexas. Ball jumps off his hand. @DJUiagalelei @3dqb_SoCal pic.twitter.com/7ECmQVyFpM
— Cole Patterson (@_colepatterson) February 20, 2022

Last year, Uiagalelei completed just 55.6 percent of his 374 attempts. It was the lowest completion percentage by a Clemson quarterback since Kyle Parker did the same in 2009.

His 2,246 yards were the fewest yards thrown by a quarterback who started every game since Parker threw for 2,213 yards in 2010. Uiagalelei was the first Clemson starting quarterback since Cole Stoudt in 2014 to throw more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (9) in a season.

Streeter does not want Uiagalelei to worry about all of that stuff. He just wants his starting quarterback to continue to improve, which he felt he did in the second half of the season.

“That is what I saw him do, really,” Streeter said. “Just battling through the adversity, like I mentioned earlier, but the improvement and never backing down and to always finding something to get better at.”

Of course, there will be more competition when spring practices begin on March 2. Cade Klubnik, the top-rated quarterback in the 2022 Class, enrolled at Clemson in January and he is expected to come in and push Uiagalelei for the starting job.