Shocking right? Almost everyone thinks Arch Manning is the guy to watch in 2025. With many CFB powerhouses (Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State) undergoing shifts in their QB rooms, it’s Texas who’s got a ready signal caller waiting to carry on the Manning legacy. And the Heisman Trophy buzz? Man, some even had him as the No. 1 pick if he were to enter the draft in 2026. He hasn’t even started a season in college yet! And see the weight of expectations. But leave it to an ESPN analyst to throw the curveball. 

Greg McElroy is taking a different path of thinking when it comes to who would be the undisputed No. 1 QB in college football. In an episode of ESPN College Football on April 28, he mentioned Arch Manning. “I love Arch Manning’s skill set,” he said. “I love his pedigree, I love some of the tape from last year. I love how he was utilized and how he’s been developed by Steve Sarkisian and the staff. I think he’s poised to have an amazingly successful career.” But he still didn’t put him in the top 10 QB list. That’s right, he’s just an honorable mention. But why?

Simple. Lack of starting experience. “It’s very hard for me to ever justify putting a first-year starter ahead of guys that have actually done it when the bullets are flying,” Greg McElroy said. And he’s got a point. Arch Manning balled out last season and torched the defenses of UTSA, Louisiana Monroe, and Mississippi State. But these defenses ranked 71st, 83rd, and 126th in the nation, respectively. It’s not exactly a murderer’s row. 

In 12 games and two starts in Austin last season, Arch Manning completed over 67% of his passes for yards and nine TDs against two interceptions. “While what I saw last year in spot start situations was tremendously good, lot of really positive things on those performances, there were also a few things that need to be cleaned up,” McElroy added. “I think they will be this upcoming year, and when he elevates his play against quality competition, that’s when we’ll start to really make the evaluation.” Fair enough, as good as the 20-year-old looks, we haven’t seen him grind through a full SEC gauntlet yet. So this brings us back to our question—who is this ACC star who snagged the No. 1 spot?

Clemson’s star rides ahead of Arch Manning to take the throne 

Here’s the big reveal—“At No. 1, the coveted No. 1 spot here in the Always College Football annual quarterback rankings, we are going with Cade Klubnik of the Clemson Tigers,” Greg McElroy said. And yeah, he made a heck of a case for the Clemson QB. Cade Klubnik’s 2024 season was a monster leap. He threw for 3,639 yards, 36 TDs to just six picks, and completed 63% of his passes. But it wasn’t just numbers. It’s how he made them.

The 21-year-old went from a safe-play guy in 2023 with just 8% of his passes soaring for 20+ yards to a full-on gunslinger last season (15% deep shots!). His average depth of targets jumped from 6.1 yards to 8.9 in 2024. That’s a massive improvement in pushing the football downfield. 

And it wasn’t just about his arm talent. Cade Klubnik also turned into a real threat on the ground too, rushing for 463 yards and seven TDs. An improvement from 182 yards and four scores in 2023. And long runs? Yeah, he had a 50-yard sprint against NC State, flashing that sneaky athleticism.

“I don’t just believe in his ability. I believe in his mental toughness,” McElroy added. “Because this is a guy that was getting criticized heavily in 2023, and I think when you are the golden goose and you get criticized and you live to tell the tale, put your head down, keep working, get better and then come back in ‘24 and you’re one of the best players in the country. That’s a guy who I want on my team for sure.” Klubnik has been through the fire, sharpened his game, and now he’s the guy everyone is cheering for. Clemson’s got a real one under center. As for Arch Manning, his time will come, but for now, Cade Klubnik runs college football. At least, according to Greg McElroy….