"He's just elite" - Clemson's Cade Klubnik reveals "studying" $275,000,000 NFL QB's playstyle, hopes to learn from Patrick Mahomes 

Cade Klubnik is prepared for something big as he enters his final season of eligibility in college football. The quarterback has started for Clemson in the last two seasons and will count on his experience to lead Dabo Swinney's team to success in the 2025 season.

On Tuesday's episode of the “Andy and Ari” podcast, the podcast showed a clip of the quarterback talking about his preparation for next season, studying a successful player at his position.

In the video, Cade Klubnik said that he studies a host of former college players and current NFL stars every year to improve his game. This summer, he’s studying Joe Burrow, who's on a $275 million five-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals, and the 2021 season of Western Kentucky’s Bailey Zappe, who is now with the Kansas City Chiefs.

“I don't think I've ever really tried to play like anybody, I guess,” Klubnik said (Timestamp: 1:50). “I definitely look up to guys.”

Klubnik also shared that he looked to Patrick Mahomes to improve a specific part of his game.

“I wanted to improve my presence in the pocket, anticipation and just delivery," Klubnik said. "So, I studied him, and I studied the calmness and coolness Patrick Mahomes in the pocket. So those two guys, because that's something we want to get better at.

“And then this year I'm studying last season for Joe, one of the best seasons ever for a quarterback. And then, 2019 Joe (when he led LSU to the national title and won the Heisman Trophy.) He's just elite, I love watching him play.”

Cade Klubnik explains what he's looking to adopt in Joe Burrow’s game

While this summer is about studying Joe Burrow, who had one of the most iconic senior seasons in college football, Cade Klubnik noted what he's looking to adopt in the quarterback’s game. Burrow led LSU to the national title in 2019, and Klubnik is looking to replicate that.

“I would say from 2019 to be a little more specific, for 2019, just their throwing the ball was elite,” Klubnik said (Timestamp: 3:00). “From their vertical game, his ability to escape the pocket and remain a passer is something that I feel like I can do pretty well, that's for sure.

“The play-action schemes, their drop-back schemes, the way he would go through his reads, but staying calm in the pocket. And then for last year, we shared the same quarterback coach. So, a lot of the same fundamentals and mechanics that Jordan teaches us. He does it very elite.”

Cade Klubnik led the Tigers to the College Football Playoff after winning the ACC championship last season. However, the team didn’t go beyond the first round, where it lost to Texas. Nonetheless, analysts are touting Clemson for something big in 2025.