Florida State played its game against Clemson without starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. And reports say FSU might be playing the rest of the season without him, too.
According to CBS Sports and 247 Sports reporter Matt Zenitz, Uiagalelei is expected to miss at least several weeks after getting surgery for a broken finger on his throwing hand. The report says Uiagalelei could be out the rest of the season, effectively ending his college football career.
Uiagalelei was seen before the Seminoles’ game against No. 14 Clemson, his team from from 2020-2022, with a cast on his hand. Backup quarterback Brock Glenn started against the Tigers.
Uiagalelei started FSU’s first five games of the season after transferring from Oregon State. He has completed less than 54% of his passes for 1,065 yards and four touchdowns against an ACC-leading six interceptions. He went 12 of 30 for 222 yards, two TDs and three INTs before his injury in last week’s 42-16 loss at SMU.
Glenn is expected to be the starting QB in Uiagalelei’s stead. The other quarterbacks on the roster are freshman Luke Kromenhoek, freshman Trever Jackson, redshirt sophomore Dylan McNamara and redshirt freshman Michael Grant.
The New England Patriots need to surround young quarterback Drake Maye with a much better offensive line and more high-end talent at the skill positions on offense going into next season, but that doesn’t mean they should totally ignore defense with the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
This draft has a lot of very good defensive players. In fact, six or seven of the top 10 picks could be guys on defense.
And given the overall lack of elite players on New England’s roster, you could make a strong case for the front office taking the best player at No. 4 instead of the best fit.
One scenario where taking the best player would make the most sense is if Abdul Carter fell to No. 4.
The Penn State edge rusher is the kind of game-changer the Patriots need to improve a pass rush that ranked last in sacks with 28.
Carter tallied a career-high 12 sacks — in addition to 43 solo tackles and two forced fumbles — and played a major role in the Nittany Lions reaching the semifinals of the College Football Playoff. His athleticism and pursuit are off the charts.
A lot of experts, including ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., see Carter and the Patriots as a great fit.
Which players might the Patriots pursue in the first round? Here’s a roundup of expert predictions from recent mock drafts.
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