With this being Cade Klubnik’s final year in a Clemson uniform, the goal is to make one last push for glory. Only time will tell if that happens, but Klubnik believes he has grown significantly during his time with the Tigers.
“I think that I’m kind of the epitome of the word ‘development,’” Klubnik said on On3’s Andy & Ari podcast. “What Clemson’s done with me is they’ve developed me, they’ve gotten me better. So, if I’m a quarterback and I’m wanting to get better, Clemson is the place to do it.”
Looking ahead, the Tigers are in a strong position in the 2026 recruiting rankings. Head coach Dabo Swinney currently has Clemson sitting at No. 3 in the cycle, with Early Signing Day still six months away.
Swinney bolstered the class on Thursday with the commitment of defensive end JR Hardrick. Hardrick had been scheduled for an official visit to Louisville on June 9, but that may no longer be the case. He is ranked as the No. 26 player in the state of Tennessee.
“The 6-foot-6, 231-pounder from South Pittsburg High in Tennessee is rated the No. 26 player in the state by the 247Sports Composite rankings. Hardrick chose Clemson over Virginia, Mississippi State and Louisville,” Yahoo Sports’ Derrian Carter wrote.
This was a big win for defensive ends coach Chris Rumph, especially after missing on a few earlier targets.
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“After striking out on a couple of other offers on the board, Rumph began targeting the South Pittsburg, Tenn. native when he took a spring visit to Clemson on March 24. He took other trips to Mississippi State, Wake Forest, Duke and North Carolina before arriving on the Tigers' campus. Then he went to Louisville, and got an offer. However, it was the Tigers that got it done quickly after his first OV, which he took with his family,” 247Sports’ Austin Hannon wrote.
Hardrick is the second defensive end commit in Clemson’s 2026 class, and the Tigers are expected to continue building on that momentum. Swinney and his staff are making serious strides on the recruiting trail.