yardbarker
Many NFL players have been selected in Major League Baseball drafts but ultimately opted for a football career, and DJ Uiagalelei is now among those who have made a mark on the gridiron. On Sunday, the former Los Angeles Dodgers draft pick threw his first career NFL touchdown pass for the Los Angeles Chargers in a lopsided defeat to the Houston Texans.
The Dodgers chose Uiagalelei in the 20th round of the 2023 MLB Draft, but he decided to continue playing college football instead. He spent the 2024 season at Florida State and then signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2025. After spending the 2025 season on the practice squad and later signing a reserve/futures contract, Uiagalelei made his regular-season debut on Sunday.
His touchdown pass came with 4:19 left in the game, reducing the Chargers' deficit to 20 points. Uiagalelei never played college baseball, so his selection by the Dodgers was essentially a speculative pick. He chose to pursue football, and on Sunday he finally recorded his first NFL touchdown pass.
Key Analysis
The Chargers are now 0-8, and it is possible that Uiagalelei could see more playing time if Justin Herbert is benched, shut down, or traded. Uiagalelei's journey from a baseball draft pick to NFL touchdown passer is a unique path, and his performance in a blowout loss may be a sign of things to come for the struggling Chargers.
Originally reported by yardbarker.