Clemson football took a big step forward in 2024, and no one more so than quarterback Cade Klubnik.
In his junior season, the former 5-star recruit out of Austin, Texas, threw for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns — good for 10th in FBS — while also rushing for 463 yards and seven touchdowns. Those were all career-highs for Klubnik, who limited his turnovers to six interceptions in 14 games.
Clemson finished 10-4 and won its ninth ACC championship under Dabo Swinney. They also made a trip to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2020.
Naturally, big things are expected from Klubnik and the Tigers in 2025. The team has been a consensus top 10 pick in most way-too-early rankings, going as high as No. 3 in USA TODAY Sports Matt Hayes’ list.
On Friday, the staff at Pro Football Focus (PFF) named Klubnik the top returning quarterback entering 2025. Klubnik edged out several other marquee names to watch next season — Penn State’s Drew Allar, former Georgia Bulldogs-turned-Miami Hurricanes starter Carson Beck and Texas’ Arch Manning, among others.
PFF’s Max Chadwick said of Klubnik:
“There might not have been a more improved quarterback in college football this past season than Klubnik. After placing 102nd among FBS signal-callers in 2023 with a 63.9 PFF passing grade, he ranked fifth in 2024 with an 87.7 mark. Only Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders threw more touchdowns than the junior (36), and those two are projected top-five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. Klubnik also ranked fifth in big-time throws (28).
“The top quarterback recruit in the 2022 class is finally starting to live up to the hype and has the potential to take a loaded Clemson roster to the promised land as a senior.”
PFF defines big-time throws as a “high-difficulty, high-value pass… characterized by excellent ball placement and timing, typically on deeper passes or into tight windows.”
Another quarterback who made PFF’s list was LSU Tigers starter Garrett Nussmeier, at No. 5. Clemson opens the 2025 season against Nussmeier and LSU on Aug. 30 at Memorial Stadium.
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