Who starts for Clemson with Trevor Lawrence out with COVID-19?

With Trevor Lawrence out due to testing positive for COVID-19, the Clemson Tigers will lean upon freshman DJ Uiagalelei.

Clemson fans were looking forward to the team extending their undefeated streak on Saturday, as they faced Boston College. However, Clemson was handed some bad news on Thursday, as NFL Media’s Mike Garfolo and Ian Rapoport reported that quarterback Trevor Lawrence tested positive for COVID-19. Given the ACC’s protocol, Lawrence will be in isolation for the next 10 days, and will thus miss this weekend’s game.

That will leave many casual fans wondering — just who will step up in Lawrence’s absence? Head coach Dabo Swinney will lean upon freshman quarterback DJ Uiagalelei.

The five-star freshman will get his first licks as Clemson starter

Uiagalelei is a five-star recruit out of Bellflower, Calif. The six-foot-five, 245-pound signal caller was ranked as the top pro-style quarterback, the No. 3 prospect out of California and the No. 10 overall prospect in the entire 2020 recruiting class, per 247 Sports.

In his three years playing for St. John Bosco High School’s varsity team, Uigalelei completed 67.2-percent of his passes for 10,496 yards, 127 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, per MaxPreps. Not only can Uiagalelei sling the ball, but he can also run it. Uiagalelei rushed for 1,103 yards and 18 touchdowns on 18 carries.

Those numbers in high school made Uiagalelei a coveted prospect by a multitude of big-time football programs. Schools like Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and USC all made offers to the quarterback, per 247 Sports. However, Uigalalelei only chose to visit Clemson and he enrolled with the university back in January.

While Uiagalelei is slated to make his first start of his collegiate career, this isn’t the first time he’s seen the field in 2020. Uiagalelei has made appearances in all but one of Clemson’s five games, where he completed 12-of-19 pass attempts for 102 yards and rushed for 32 yards and two scores on eight carries.

Having a five-star recruit come off the bench is an ideal situation for Clemson. While Uiagalelei is a future first-round pick in the NFL Draft, he’s not Trevor Lawrence. Regardless, Uiagalelei will look to introduce him to college football fans around the nation this Saturday afternoon.