Clemson's Klubnik Named to Manning Award Watchlist

Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik has added another preseason accolade heading into his senior season.

Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik continues to receive preseason hype heading into 2025. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

NEW ORLEANS-- Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik added another preseason accolade to his name on Thursday, being named to the Manning Award Preseason Watch List.

Presented by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, the Manning Award is named after college football legends Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning and is given to the top quarterback annually. It is the only quarterback award to factor in postseason performance.

Klubnik was one of 27 quarterbacks named to the watch list.

“We’re looking forward to another exciting year of college football,” Archie Manning said in a press released. “I’d like to thank the Sugar Bowl for continuing to build the tradition of the Manning Award which now has over 20 years of honoring the top quarterbacks in the country for the entire football season. This year we have another great group on our preseason Watch List; in October, we’ll review the transfers and other newcomers and then boost the Watch List with the best from that group.”

Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik enters 2025 as one of the top players in all of college football. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Klubnik enters the 2025 season as one of the top quarterbacks in all of college football and a candidate for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Manning Award Watch List is also his latest preseason accolade after being named to the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year, Davey O'Brien Award watch lists.

He was also named as a First-Team All-American (ESPN, Lindy's, Phil Steele, Pick Six Previews, The Athletic, Walter Camp), consensus First-Team All-ACC and the ACC Preseason Player of the Year (USA Today).

After a rough beginning with the Tigers, in which he started 4-4 as the team's starter, Klubnik has emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the program's storied history, helping lead the program to another ACC title and playoff appearance in 2024.

“It either shines you up or grinds you up, it’s about what you’re made of, and he’s made of the right stuff,” head coach Dabo Swinney recently said during an appearance on the Jim Rome Show. “I’m just really proud of him and now he’s the absolute leader of this football team, and he’s a kid that’s the epitome of what we talked about.”

Should Klubnik win the award, he would be the second player and third overall winner from Clemson, joining Deshaun Watson, who took home the award in 2015 and 2016.

No. 4 Clemson opens the 2025 season on Aug. 30 at home against No. 9 LSU.