Cade Klubnik Named Heisman Favorite But History Says He Won’t Win

Clemson has been in this position before. Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence—two of the most iconic quarterbacks in school history—both led the Tigers to national championship glory. Both were Heisman finalists. 

Neither won the award. Watson finished second in 2016 behind Lamar Jackson, and Lawrence was the runner-up in 2020, finishing behind Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith. 

Even with 222 first-place votes and over 1,100 total points, Lawrence couldn’t secure the trophy, despite being arguably the most complete quarterback prospect in the modern era. If neither of those generational talents could break through the Heisman ceiling, Klubnik faces an uphill battle regardless of how good Clemson looks this fall.

That’s especially true in today’s landscape, where offseason hype is as loud as ever. Coming out of spring, the buzz around Clemson is building. The Tigers are loaded with talent, especially at wide receiver—many believe this is the deepest and most skilled receiver room in the country. The offensive line has improved. Klubnik has grown each year under Riley’s system. On paper, the pieces are there.

But this is also the season of speculation, where media noise can turn into “rat poison,” as some coaches like to call it. We’re in that awkward stretch between spring football and fall camp when national narratives start to form, often well before teams have truly shown who they are. It’s easy to crown a favorite in May. It’s much harder to live up to that billing come October and November.

Clemson is equipping itself to make a serious run, but there are still questions to answer—about the run game, defensive depth, and how Klubnik handles the pressure of expectation. Until the Tigers hit the field in the fall, we won’t truly know how good they are or how realistic Klubnik’s Heisman chances really are.

For now, Klubnik’s name is rightfully in the conversation. But if Clemson’s past is any indication, it may take more than excellence—and even more than a national title—for the Heisman to finally find its way to Death Valley.