Clemson commit named Elite 11 MVP

CLEMSON — The rise of Cade Klubnik is just getting started.

The class of 2022 Clemson quarterback was named the MVP of this weekend’s Elite 11 Finals.

Ranked as the No. 6 overall quarterback in the nation, he beat out a handful of gunslingers in front of him, including top-ranked Ohio State commit Quinn Ewers.

Klubnik entered Friday as the leader of the finals. The rankings are determined by the Elite 11 coaching staff and are based off of 50 percent junior season film and performance and 50 percent camp evaluations and physical traits. Klubnik earned a third-place finish in the Pro Day portion of the event, finishing ahead of all of the other QBs currently ranked ahead of him in the 247Sports Composite rankings.

“I want to kind of prove what I’m about. I don’t care if people are talking about me or not. If they are, then it gives me a motivation,” Klubnik told ClemsonSports.com. “One of my favorite quotes is ‘When they talk about you and they give you praise, that’s when you need to work even harder to prove what they say you are.’ So even when they’re not talking about you, that’s a motivation to go and work hard. And then whenever they are, you’ve got to go prove what you are.”

Klubnik, who attends Westlake High in Austin, Texas, committed to Clemson in March, just a few days after being offered by the Tigers. The commit has been a huge reason why Clemson exited the month of June with eight commitments.

Klubnik’s overall ranking will likely rise off of his performance this weekend. He is going to be a member of the 2022 All-American Bowl and will go head-to-head with Ewers at some point on the field this fall.

And more importantly for the Tigers, this weekend proved he is fully capable of being the next in a line of elite Clemson quarterbacks.