Clemson Tigers Quarterback Rises in Re-Rank of Talented Recruiting Class

It has been a very busy offseason for the Clemson Tigers after a successful campaign in 2024.

The Tigers entered last year looking to bounce back from a disappointing showing in 2023. Things didn’t start well in their first game of the season against the Georgia Bulldogs, but they bounced back nicely after that.

Clemson went on to win 10 games and the ACC title. They made the newly expanded College Football Playoff, but ultimately were eliminated in the first round.

Now, expectations are high coming into 2025.

The Tigers will be mostly returning what could be one of the best offenses in the country next season. Also, they recently brought in Penn State Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Tom Allen to help fix a defense that struggled.

One of the reasons for the success of the Tigers in 2024 has been their recruiting classes over the past couple of years.

Billy Tucker of ESPN.com recently re-ranked the 2022 recruiting class that has featured a lot of stars in college football. Some on the list are heading into the NFL already as top draft picks, and some are still making their impact in college.

After being ranked 29th originally, Cade Klubnik was re-ranked 19th after an amazing campaign in 2024.

“His collegiate career has had some ups and downs, but he's still one of the most decorated passers in Tigers history and enters 2025 as one of college football's most recognizable stars.”

When Klubnik committed to Clemson it was a big deal at the time, and it still has been a major win for the program. As a four-star prospect coming out of high school, the young quarterback was always expected to be good, but there have been some growing pains along the way.

In 2023, he got his chance to be the starter for the Tigers and the results were very much mixed. That season, he totaled 19 touchdown passes, nine interceptions, and 2,844 passing yards.

However, this past year, he took a massive jump and became one of the best quarterbacks in the country with 36 passing touchdowns, six interceptions, and 3,639 passing yards.

It was certainly a breakout season for Klubnik, and he will be returning for his senior year with a national championship and perhaps a Heisman Trophy on his mind.

The argument could be made that he should be higher than 19th on the re-rank, but he still has another year to play compared to some of the players ahead of him like Travis Hunter who is going to be a top five pick in the NFL draft.

If the talented quarterback has a Heisman-caliber season, he will certainly move up higher on the next re-rank.