A national media outlet has published its early preseason quarterback rankings and Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik has been ranked as the nation’s top signal caller heading into the spring.
Pro Football Focus’ Max Chadwick said Klubnik is “a rising senior” who is “the top returning quarterback in college football after making a massive jump as a junior.”
Klubnik finished the 2024 season with 87.7 PFF passing grade. He improved from 2023 where he was at a grade of only 63,9.
“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),” he wrote.
Klubnik had an impressive junior season, as he threw for 3,639 yards with 36 touchdowns and six interceptions, while completing 63.4% of his passes. He also rushed for a career-high 463 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Tigers are coming off a 10-4 season, one in which Clemson got back into the ACC championship game, where they beat SMU on last-second field goal. That win cleared the Tigers’ path back to the College Football Playoff, which expanded to 12 teams for the first time.
Some names that also appear on the list are names Tigers fans either already know or will get to know this season. Clemson will face two of the best quarterbacks as projected during the 2025 season.
PFF ranked LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier fifth among returning quarterbacks. That is relevant due to the fact the Tigers open up against LSU on Aug. 30 at Memorial Stadium.
Nussmeier, the son of former college star and current NFL coach Doug Nussmeier, paid his dues at LSU, waiting three years for the opportunity to be a full-time starter for the Tigers. He took over after Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels moved on to the NFL.
Last season he was fifth in the country in passing yards with 4.043.
Clemson also plays SMU this season at Memorial Stadium. The Pony Express features Kevin Jennings, who comes into the spring ranked tenth on Chadwick’s list. It will be a rematch of the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game.
Jennings had a yeoman’s effort in the title game as he threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns. He also gained 35 yards on the ground and scored another touchdown via his legs.
This content is reposted from the source: https://www.si.com/college/clemson/football/clemson-tigers-star-ranked-highest-at-key-position-entering-spring-football
