It’s crazy how a year can change things. At the end of the 2024 College Football season, Clemson‘s Cade Klubnik was regarded as one of the better prospects eligible for the NFL Draft. He ultimately ended up staying, where he became one of the favorites for the Heisman Trophy. However, Clemson would struggle this season, going 7-6, and his performance mirrored the team’s success.

How did this season impact his draft profile? Let’s talk about it.

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Klubnik, a former five-star prospect out of Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, was the number two quarterback prospect in the 2022 class. He would go down as one of the best quarterbacks the school had ever produced, having won three consecutive state championships. He never lost a game as the starter, going 27-0 with a TD/INT ratio of 86/7. He would also score 31 times on the ground. He competed in the Elite 11 in 2021, winning MVP before committing to Clemson. While at Clemson, he would throw for 10,123 yards, a TD/INT ratio of 73/24, and a completion percentage of 64.3%.

One of the bright spots in Cade Klubnik’s game is his throwing motion. It is compact with a quick-release and always stays the same. He has a shortstop-style arm where he can manipulate his arm angles to fit passes in tight windows. He showcases precision throwing over the middle to the first and second levels, but can also drop the ball in the bucket on deep passes. He never gets overwhelmed in the pocket, knowing where his escape is most of the time. If he runs at the NFL Combine, he should post a pretty good time, I’m guessing in the 4.6-4.7 range.

Klubnik struggles to progress through his reads; once he becomes married to his first read, he looks to scramble. These issues lead to unnecessary sacks. While he has plus accuracy on deep balls, the concern is whether he can push the ball down the field. The upper body mechanics aren’t a concern, but his footwork, if he’s pressured early, gets erratic. With a quarterback, you want him to be able to make the pre-snap adjustments when it comes to protections, but Klubnik never really seemed to develop this skill. Some things can be taught, and some are natural, and this is the former.

Cade Klubnik was invited to the Shrine Bowl, where he was easily the best quarterback there. His combine performance will be paramount in rising up draft boards. Right now, he sits with a fifth-round grade, as he could easily become someone who develops into a quality backup to a fringe starter. But, he could also trend the opposite way as well with some of the concerns in his game.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: 2026 NFL Draft scouting report: Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson