Greg McElroy defends where he ranked Cade Klubnik on Top 10 college football quarterback list

Cade Klubnik took a major step forward in 2024, and now the Clemson quarterback seems primed to takeover college football in 2025. Greg McElroy is certainly a believer in the 21-year old signal caller.

On the latest episode of Always College Football with Greg McElroy, the ESPN analyst ranked the top quarterbacks in college football ahead of the 2025 campaign. After much consideration, McElroy put Klubnik No. 1. He believes it’s time we put some respect on the Clemson quarterback’s name.

“At No. 1, the coveted No. 1 spot here on the Always College Football annual quarterback rankings, we are going with Cade Klubnik of the Clemson Tigers,” McElroy revealed. “I thought last year he did an amazing job. Threw for over 3,600 yards, 36 touchdowns against six interceptions, 63% completion. He also showed a willingness to contribute an awful lot with his legs. That was not something he did a ton of the year before.

“Last year, it became a lot more a part of how he attacked the opposing defense. He went for 463 yards on the ground, including seven rushing touchdowns and including a couple of really long runs. He’s got the potential and the wheels to take it the distance a long way out. But I loved how much he improved from 2023.

“So, I’m banking on that improvement only growing more significantly with another year in the offense with Garrett Riley, another year developing a rapport with what I think is an outstanding wide receiver core. I think he’s got four dudes on the perimeter that are top flight wide outs, and that’s going to really help Cade Klubnik reach his potential this year.”

Aside from his physical attributes, McElroy is also a huge fan of Klubnik’s mental. He’s been drug through the mud during his collegiate career, and the ESPN analyst is of the belief that it’s done nothing but help contribute to his intense motivation heading into 2025.

“I also think he’s been through the gauntlet of being a starting quarterback in college football as well. Which means I don’t just believe in his ability, I believe in his mental toughness,” McElroy added. “This is a guy that was getting criticized heavily in 2023. I think when you’re the golden goose and you get criticized and you live to tell the tale — put your head down, keep working, get better, and then come back in ’24 and you’re one of the best players in the country?

“That’s a guy who I want on my team, for sure. The fact that he’s been through the grinder and has lived to tell the tale, came out the other end as a superstar, tells me a lot about what this young man is made of, and what he’s going to do this year.”

After making the College Football Playoff in 2024, Cade Klubnik and Clemson have their sights set on winning a national title in 2025. Greg McElroy believes the quarterback has the skillset to lead the Tigers to the promise-land, but we’ll see if he’s correct in that assertion or not in the coming months.