Former Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik had a disappointing 2025 season, leading the Tigers to their worst record (7-6) since 2010. Klubnik had received preseason Heisman Trophy hype after the Tigers returned four offensive linemen from the 2024 season and posted one of the highest retention rates in college football.
Klubnik followed up stellar performances at the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis last month with impressive displays at the Clemson Pro Day this week to boost his flagging draft stock.
Analyst Roots for Cade Klubnik as Day 3 Draft Gamble
After his decent performance during Clemson’s Pro Day, during Friday’s segment of the “McShay Show,” draft analyst Todd McShay rooted for NFL teams to take a gamble on Klubnik on Day 3 of the draft.
“Cade Klubnik continues to throw the ball well and there’s a reemergence of Cade Klubnik and he could be a treat on the third day,” McShay said. “I think there’s the want there and the character and the drive and some mobility and enough juice in his arm. I think he has a lot of growing to do as a quarterback. If you put him in a situation in the next two to three years where he’s learning, you never know what you’re gonna get. I think there’s enough talent there to gamble on that.”
In one of the weakest quarterback draft classes in recent memory, several prospects have fought to be the QB2 behind former Indiana Hoosiers star Fernando Mendoza, with several projected to fall into the second and third rounds.
Klubnik Receives Disappointing Draft Projection
A year ago, ESPN draft guru Jordan Reid predicted that Klubnik would be the No. 1 pick during the 2026 NFL Draft. After last season’s disappointment, Reid broke down why Klubnik’s draft stock had taken a hit and ranked the former Clemson star as the ninth-best quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft class.
“Klubnik has stretches of hot and cold play throughout games, similar to a streaky 3-point shooter,” Reid wrote. “His clean throwing release allowed him to distribute the ball evenly to all his targets in the underneath areas the Tigers operated in. Klubnik is also a threat as a runner when forced to break the pocket. Klubnik has a lot of borderline-average traits but doesn’t have one superior trait. Outside of his Week 6 performance against North Carolina (22-of-24, 254 yards and 4 TDs), Klubnik hesitated throwing the ball on time, too. His anticipation skills have been lacking, and he defaulted to waiting for teammates to get open before throwing.”
Klubnik tallied 2,943 passing yards, resulting in 16 touchdowns and six interceptions, while adding 94 rushing yards and four touchdowns for the Tigers in the 2025 season, earning himself a PFSN College QB Impact score of 79.2.
