Ahead of the 2025 season, there has been plenty of debate about who will be the best quarterback in college football. Many fans have pointed to Florida’s DJ Lagway or South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers.
Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt recently shared his opinion while listing his top players in the country. Klatt’s list included two quarterbacks: Texas’s Arch Manning and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik. While Klatt gave the edge to Klubnik, he highlighted a key area where Manning stands out.
Joel Klatt Names Cade Klubnik a ‘Heisman Contender,’ But Highlights Arch Manning’s Key Advantage
On “The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast,” Klatt listed his top ten college football players heading into the 2025 season. Klubnik was his best quarterback, coming in at the No. 3 overall spot.
Klubnik ranked just one spot above Manning, who will begin his first season as Texas’s starting quarterback this year. Klatt said he believes Klubnik is the best quarterback in the country and a serious Heisman contender.
“I think Cade Klubnik is going to be the best quarterback in the country,” Klatt said. “I think he’s going to have a great chance to win the Heisman Trophy.”
While Klatt leans toward Klubnik regarding overall ability, the analyst highlighted one area in which he sees Manning having an advantage.
“He’s athletic,” Klatt said. “Maybe not Manning, but athletic.”
It’s a fair assessment, as Manning proved to the college football world that he had elite athletic ability on limited snaps in the 2024 season. On just 25 attempts, the Longhorns quarterback rushed for 108 yards and four touchdowns, including a 67-yard house call against UTSA.
ARCH MANNING TAKES IT 67 YARDS TO THE HOUSE WITH HIS LEGS 😱
It’s the longest rush by a Texas QB since Vince Young in 2005. pic.twitter.com/AjU9uSli2c
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 15, 2024
While Manning has greater overall athletic ability, Klubnik is still impressive in that area. In 2024, he rushed for 463 yards and seven touchdowns on 119 attempts, including an electrifying 50-yard game-winning touchdown against Pitt.
CADE KLUBNIK WAS DETERMINED TO FIND THE END ZONE 😤 pic.twitter.com/MvvOq0tunx
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 16, 2024
Klubnik is the more proven quarterback overall, with two full seasons as a starter. He showed significant improvement from 2023 to 2024 and is expected to take another big step forward in 2025.
RELATED: Top Analyst States Dabo Swinney’s Smart Plan To Unlock Cade Klubnik’s Full Potential at Clemson
Manning’s inclusion in Klatt’s top ten college football players comes as a surprise since he only has two starts and remains largely unproven. However, Klatt clearly believes Manning’s raw talent, including his athletic ability, is enough to rank him among the game’s best.