Cade Klubnik named ACC preseason player of the year. 10 other Tigers honored
The preseason accolades keep stacking up for Clemson football.
One day after the Tigers were picked as the overwhelming ACC preseason champion, the league announced Thursday that Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik has been voted as the ACC’s preseason player of the year.
Ten other Tigers joined Klubnik on the preseason All-ACC team, giving Clemson an impressive 11 preseason all-conference selections. No other school had more than three selections, and that school (Pitt) had one player picked at two positions.
Along with Klubnik, WR Antonio Williams, WR Bryant Wesco Jr., OT Blake Miller, OG Walker Parks, C Ryan Linthicum, DE T.J. Parker, DT Peter Woods, LB Wade Woodaz, LB Sammy Brown and CB Avieon Terrell were all honored.
Klubnik, a senior and former five-star recruit from Austin, Texas, earned 146 of a possible 183 first-place votes (80%) for the award. Georgia Tech QB Haynes King finished second with nine votes. SMU QB Kevin Jennings was third with five votes.
As a junior in 2024, Klubnik completed 63.4% of his passes for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns against six interceptions while leading Clemson to its first College Football Playoff since 2020. He also rushed for 463 yards and seven touchdowns.
Klubnik’s 43 total touchdowns and 4,102 yards of total offense both ranked third nationally last year during a breakout season. In December, he became only the third player in league history to win two ACC championship game MVP awards.
Entering his senior season, Klubnik (6-2, 210) is considered the top returning starter for a team that has national championship aspirations under coach Dabo Swinney as well as a likely 2026 first-round NFL Draft pick.
Clemson players have won an ACC-best 12 conference player of the year awards. The last Tiger to win ACC Player of the Year was QB Trevor Lawrence in 2020.
2025 preseason All-ACC football team
Total votes out of 183 in parentheses; Clemson players in bold
Offense
QB: Cade Klubnik, Clemson (148)
RB: Isaac Brown, Louisville (99)
RB: Jamal Haynes, Georgia Tech (85)
WR: Antonio Williams, Clemson (143)
WR: Bryant Wesco Jr., Clemson (66)
WR: Chris Bell, Louisville (51)
TE: Justin Joly, NC State (92)
AP: Desmond Reid, Pitt (73)
OT: Francis Mauigoa, Miami (99)
OT: Blake Miller, Clemson (99)
OG: Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech (93)
OG: Walker Parks, Clemson (51)
C: Ryan Linthicum, Clemson (44)
Defense
DE: T.J. Parker, Clemson (152)
DE: Rueben Bain, Jr., Miami (92)
DT: Peter Woods, Clemson (142)
DT: Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State (56)
LB: Kyle Louis, Pitt (98)
LB: Wade Woodaz, Clemson (77)
LB: Sammy Brown, Clemson (76)
CB: Avieon Terrell, Clemson (129)
CB: Chandler Rivers, Duke (106)
S: Isaiah Nwokobia, SMU (86)
S: Terry Moore, Duke (81)
Special teams
PK: Collin Rogers, SMU (67)
P: Jack Stonehouse, Syracuse (70)
SP: Desmond Reid, Pitt (68)
2025 ACC preseason player of the year
First-place votes out of 183 in parantheses
1. Clemson QB Cade Klubnik (146)
2. Georgia Tech Haynes King (9)
3. SMU QB Kevin Jennings (5)
T-4. Miami QB Carson Beck (4)
T-4. Virginia Tech QB Kyron Drones (4)
6. Louisville RB Isaac Brown (3)
T-7. Boston College DE Quintayvious Hutchins (2)
T-7. NC State QB CJ Bailey (2)
T-7. Pitt QB Eli Holstein (2)
T-7. Pitt LB Kyle Louis (2)
T-7. Pitt RB Desmond Reid (2)
T-12. Boston College WR Lewis Bond (1)
T-12. Georgia Tech RB Jamal Haynes (1)
This story was originally published July 31, 2025 at 4:04 PM.
