DJ Uiagalelei is an athletic freak destined for big things

He’s only 18 but America is already starting to lose its mind over the prospect of one day seeing DJ Uiagalelei unleash his full potential.

Less than two weeks after Kyler Murray became the first person in history to be drafted in the first round of both the NFL and MLB, America is bracing for the emergence of another dual code superstar hoping to one day take the country by storm.

Eighteen-year-old DJ Uiagalelei is a football weapon colleges have been clamouring to get their hands on for years. Scholarship offers flooded in — at least 30, according to a Sports Illustrated feature — and they were landing in his letterbox before the quarterback had thrown a single pass in high school. He even received at least one offer while he was still in grade six.

And it’s no surprise why. At 1.93m tall and nearly 110kg, Uiagalelei is an absolute physical specimen. Built like an offensive lineman but with the skills and smarts — and importantly, the rocket arm — to dominate as a play-caller, he enjoyed a stellar high school career for St John Bosco, throwing for more than 6000 yards and 77 touchdowns with just nine interceptions in two seasons as the starting quarterback.

Although just a teenager, big things have been expected of Uiagalelei for a long time and on Monday (AEST) he’ll make one university very happy when he verbally commits to take his talents to either Oregon or Clemson.

Uiagalelei has a mature head on his shoulders and has also been genetically blessed. He told Sports Illustrated his father, who’s been a bodyguard to some of the biggest music icons on the planet and is known to many as “Big Dave”, weighs around “400 pounds” (180kg) and was an impressive junior college footballer after moving to the States from Samoa as a kid.

But scaling the heights of professional football hasn’t been Uiagalelei’s only dream. Like Murray, who was selected by Arizona at pick No. 1 in this year’s NFL Draft, his freakish gifts also carry over to baseball. The same arm that makes him so dangerous at quarterback also gives him the ability to pitch a fastball at 150km/h.

The No. 1 ranked quarterback in the country for the 2020 class still wants to play baseball at college and his high school baseball coach Don Barbara said if he wanted to, Uiagalelei could make it to the majors in no time.

“It really was unbelievable,” Barbara told Bleacher Report. “I don’t think it would take him that long to get to the big leagues. Not with his arm and not with his curveball.

“I hear from agents and from scouts. There are a lot of people interested in him. If that guy was pitching right now, the stadium would be filled. It’s crazy.”

But while he’s got the raw skills to dominate from the mound and an MLB career down the line isn’t out of the question, it seems his immediate future lies on the football field.

Recruiting analyst Greg Biggins told Sports Illustrated Uiagalelei is “scary” and, writing for 247Sports.com, he offered up a glowing review of his skill-set and attitude.

“Big, strong armed quarterback with generational arm strength,” Biggins wrote. “Has one of the strongest arms in recent memory.

“Shows great touch, accuracy to all three levels of the field and great natural feel for throwing the football. Understands when to take a little off, throws with anticipation and is a plus athlete as well.

“Natural leader and a great teammate who is also a potential high round draft pick in Major League Baseball.

“Can still improve going through progressions and finding secondary receivers as well as escaping pressure. Upside is off the charts.”

247Sports director of scouting Barton Simmons is equally in awe of what Uiagalelei can become.

“It’s all about pure physical traits for DJ,” he said. “There’s a really high floor, low bust potential for a guy that is as gifted from an arm and frame standpoint as DJ is.

“The production matches, the accuracy is there and we’ve really seen his game evolve over the last year or two. So there’s reason to believe he’s just getting started.”

If he does progress to the NFL, there’s every chance Uiagalelei could one day be joined by his younger brother Matayo. At just 14, Matayo has several scholarship offers of his own and has already benefited from Big Dave’s monstrous physique, weighing over 100kg and standing as tall his older sibling.

But for now all eyes are on DJ and wherever he chooses to go to college — be it Clemson or Oregon — you can bet the eyes of hungry NFL scouts will follow.