D.J. Uiagalelei learned so many valuable lessons from his former Clemson football teammate Trevor Lawrence.
With Trevor Lawrence having been the No. 1 overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2021 NFL Draft, it is now D.J. Uiagalelei‘s turn to lead the Clemson football team under center.
Uiagalelei enters his second season at Clemson with so many lofty expectations. He is replacing a starting quarterback who led his team to three-straight ACC Championships, three-straight College Football Playoff appearances, two national title games and the 2018 National Championship. In his one year backing up Lawrence, Uiagalelei learned many valuable lessons.
“There’s a bunch of stuff,” said Uiagalelei last week at the ACC Football Kickoff. “I think the one thing I’ll touch on is how to become a true professional of the game off the field. The way Trevor handled different things off the field, how he dealt with media, how he dealt going around town. He couldn’t be like himself, he had to uphold to a Clemson quarterback where he maybe couldn’t do the regular things that a college athlete or college student couldn’t do.”
“He couldn’t go down to Chipotle and get some food or it would turn into an autograph session, just different things like that, things about how to become a true professional of the game.”
By sacrificing Chipotle trips, Uiagalelei may have what it takes to lead Clemson to a national title.
Clemson football: D.J. Uiagalelei learned a ton from Trevor Lawrence a year ago
There may not have been a better person to learn how to be a professional from when you are still an amateur than Lawrence. Like Uiagalelei, he was a blue-chip, five-star recruit at the quarterback position coming out of high school. The type of pressure these high-level signal-callers face are unlike any other. Then again, these guys are used to it. They are planning to turn pro in sports.
Clemson is once again favored to win the ACC for the seventh year a row. While the Tigers may face stiff competition from either North Carolina or Miami in the conference title bout, their toughest game this season is on Labor Day weekend vs. regional rival Georgia in Charlotte. If Clemson wins that game, Uiagalelei and the Tigers could be heading back to the playoff in 2021.
Learning a ton from Lawrence is a great sign to Uiagalelei having as much success as possible.
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