Greg McElroy Names Unexpected College Football QB Primed For Breakout Season

With the 2024 college football season set to begin this weekend, ESPN's Greg McElroy thinks one ACC quarterback is set to have a massive year.

Within the ACC, the general consensus amongst the media is that DJ Uiagalelei of Florida State and Cam Ward of Miami will make strong impressions this season. Both are transferring from the Pac-12 to the ACC, and their new teams have high expectations for the upcoming season.

On McElroy's podcast, Always College Football , he went a different route and named a quarterback who has been with their program for two consecutive years: Clemson Tigers passer Cade Klubnik.

"It's pretty encouraging with some of the buzz that we're getting out of camp on Kade Klubnick," McElroy said. "And who's to say that Cade Klubnick won't be the next in line of great quarterbacks that just took a little while for them to reach their potential."

McElroy followed up his statements by listing examples of guys who became elite after a slow start to their careers.

He named Joe Burrow, Hendon Hooker, Bo Nix, and Jayden Daniels.

While many Clemson fans weren't thrilled with Klubnik last year, they hope that he takes the next step and follows in the footsteps of the four quarterbacks that McElroy named, all of whom are in the NFL now.

Klubnik is entering his junior season and will aim to lead Clemson to the College Football Playoff for the first time since the 2019 season.

In 2023, his first season as the starting quarterback, Klubnik threw for 2,580 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.

Related: Paul Finebaum Says Major Big Ten Program Will "Unravel" Week 1