Finished going through everything I could find on Klubnik. Also I have to observe that the most annoying thing about looking at players is the way that some of them have a shit ton of tape and others have very little. Klubnik is the former given the way Clemson is well represented by cutups and college film types. So I think it helps give a real good feel for who he is as a QB.
Which is on the small side first off. And something I don't like. Also since I started with negatives he gambles too much, little too much artistry trying to fit the ball in there when under duress. And I would add that he looks surprised by the blitz a bit too much for my taste.
On the positive side he moves exceptionally well and has a good feel for the rush. He can make the first rusher miss too, even in the pocket. This puts him ahead of guys like Nussmeier, vs whom he is competing for midround slotting (these smaller dudes to include Simpson are, to my eye, all round 3ish values despite the media love affair with Simpson). Also he can rip it and win from the pocket on deep outs and seams. Quite deadly in particular on seams I think. He gets through his reads well enough. And I like his arm. Throws a catchable ball that doesn't hang too much. Also I like his accuracy when he sets his feet.
I expect he is someone the Rams will look at very closely because he is an exceptional fit for this offense. Nowhere in the tape that I looked at did I see him play at the level Simpson played at in the first half of this college season. However I try to look at the entire picture with a QB, and in doing that what I see is a line that gets overrun frequently. Also I see moderate at best weapons. Can't think of one offensive player on that Clemson offense where I noted him and thought hell yes I'd like to have that kid. And on top of that in some of the big games it feels like their defense was not there, which compounds all that.
So the way I see him is you're left with a smallish WCO QB who has a bit of scrap to him, but who is always scrapping to move the chains. Key question: is he a player I'd like to see behind Stafford on the depth chart? I'd say yeah, I'm ok with him and in fact I think he makes more sense because I don't have to take him early, which allows me to use those high picks for impact weapons for either side of the ball. I'll close with a couple cutup vids of his games too.
This is the CFP game where they ran into a more talented Texas squad. There was no winning this one, and it was ugly as hell at halftime, but the fight he put up in the second half, particularly from late third quarter on in dropping a lot of dimes in the face of a relentless rush... It impressed me.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktqHwFoLAwY
This is their LSU matchup from 2025. You can see the fundamental issues with the line and the weapons and their inability to dictate at all in the matchup with an SEC defense.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms_lG-sRRow