Cade Klubnik’s path to college football didn’t start at the Elite 11 competition in 2021, but that’s where his career expectations soared. Clemson offered him in February of that year, and he committed verbally in early March. At the time, he was ranked 155th nationally in the 247Sports Composite, so he was already well-regarded.
However, winning the Elite 11 competition in June significantly boosted his stock. By the final rankings, he rose to 6th nationally and became the top-rated quarterback in the class following Quin Ewers’ reclassification. Naturally, this victory heightened expectations among Clemson fans. Since then, Klubnik has shown glimpses of his potential but has also encountered challenges.
Recently, Klubnik served as a counselor during this year’s Elite 11 event in California, where the Class of 2025 quarterbacks participated. He actively engaged in the sessions, reflecting his ongoing involvement in the football community. He exudes confidence and displays solid fundamentals, reinforcing what many observers have already noted about Klubnik: he possesses all the essential football skills but struggles under game-time pressure.
This isn’t about external pressures from the outside world; Klubnik handles those admirably. The comparison here is more about how he resembles quarterbacks like Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence, particularly in their ability to manage external expectations.
Where Klubnik faces difficulty is in handling the pressure exerted by opposing defenses during games. This mental challenge is different from what he encounters in a controlled environment like the Elite 11 competition.
This issue isn’t solely his responsibility. While every quarterback must learn to manage pressure and make sound decisions under duress, the primary focus should be on blocking that pressure to provide Klubnik with a secure pocket, and ensuring his receivers give him viable passing options.
