The Clemson Tigers have broken Alabama's stranglehold on college football by winning two of the past three national championships, including January's 44-16 surprise drubbing of Nick Saban's Crimson Tide.
Clemson is now flexing its muscles on the recruiting trail like never before, which suddenly has Alabama, Georgia and everybody else giving chase in this 2020 cycle.
DJ Uiagalelei, the nation's No. 1 pro-style quarterback out of Bellflower, California, announced his nonbinding commitment to Dabo Swinney's Tigers via a two-minute, 20-second video released Sunday afternoon on Twitter. The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder is the nation's No. 13 overall prospect in the 247Sports.com composite rankings.
"I am announcing my commitment to Clemson University," Uiagalelei said near the end of the video, which contained footage of him wearing a No. 5 Clemson jersey and exchanging high-fives with Swinney. "I'm all in. Go Tigers."
Should Trevor Lawrence quarterback the Tigers the next two seasons and then leave early for the NFL, Uiagalelei could serve as the backup in 2020 before taking over in 2021.
Uiagalelei's commitment occurred just two days after Clemson landed five-star prospect Demarkcus Bowman, a 5-11, 186-pound running back from Lakeland, Florida. Bowman is the nation's No. 17 prospect overall.
Clemson, which has yet to produce a top-five signing class in the Swinney era - he took over as the Tigers' interim head coach in October 2008 and had the interim label removed after that season - already has four 2020 five-star commitments. Defensive tackle Bryan Bresee of Damascus, Maryland, is the nation's No. 2 overall prospect, while cornerback Fred Davis of Jacksonville, Florida, is No. 28.
The Tigers could add at least two more five-star recruits, as they are the favorites for the nation's top strongside defensive ends - top in-state prospect Jordan Burch (6-5, 250) of Columbia and Myles Murphy (6-5, 260) from the Atlanta suburb of Powder Springs.
Alabama had seven consecutive No. 1 recruiting classes until Georgia produced the top crop in 2018. Alabama and Georgia finished 1-2 earlier this year, with Clemson winding up 10th.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.