Which quarterback has the best situation in 2024 - Klubnik, Allar or Weigman
By Rory Daniels
The 2022 recruiting class was seen as extremely strong at the quarterback position. It was headed by three players who would each go to top 25 schools with a strong chance of being an early starter. The three were Drew Allar, Cade Klubnik, and Conner Weigman. Each took snaps as a freshmen before they all got a chance to start in year 2. Their fortunes were mixed, and none established themselves as a projected first-round pick for the 2025 NFL Draft.
They sit behind the likes of Carson Beck, Shedeur Sanders and Quinn Ewers—more experienced quarterbacks with a more substantial track record of collegiate success. However, going into their third year, could one of the 2022 trio make the leap and overtake those names? Let’s look at who is best placed to do so, considering their surrounding talent.
Playcalling partnership
This was the most difficult decision of all the categories we will examine in this piece. When it comes to offensive coordinators, each of these quarterbacks should be in good hands. Experience will be the deciding factor, and the fact that Garrett Riley is entering into year 2 as Clemson OC gives him the edge. Riley was a major factor in TCU’s run to the National Championship game in 2022 and I expect to see significant strides made in year 2 of working with Klubnik.
The misuse of Drew Allar is partly why James Franklin had to make a splash by hiring Andy Kotelnicki away from Kansas. The Jayhawks have enjoyed a renaissance, particularly on the offensive side, with Jalon Daniels and Devin Neal becoming household names under Kotelnicki. I’m even bullish about A&M’s hire of Kansas State coordinator Collin Klein. His work with Will Howard and his preparation for Avery Johnson to assume a starting role this year should not be underestimated.
Whichever way you chop it up, all three QBs have a coach that should be able to maximise their physical gifts and produce explosive offenses.
Ranking – 1. Klubnik, 2. Allar, 3. Weigman
Projecting the protection
Penn State’s offensive line was the standout of this group last year. However, they go into the 2024 season having to find replacements for three of the starting spots. Olu Fashanu, Hunter Nourzad and Caeden Wallace all moved on to the NFL, leaving a reasonably inexperienced group behind them. The potential star is Wisconsin transfer Nolan Rucci. Rucci was biding his time as backup to Jack Nelson but couldn’t wait any longer and projects as the starting right tackle for the Nittany Lions. If he lives up to his 5-star billing, then this group might not suffer too big of a dip.
On the other hand, Clemson returns plenty of experience. Three of their starters last year return, and they also get guard Walker Parks back in the fold, having missed the majority of the season through an injury sustained in Week 2. Blake Miller at right tackle has garnered plenty of attention, and he should finish the year in the top 10 at his position. For now, that familiarity gives the Tigers o-line the edge.
Texas A&M ranked 86th in sacks allowed last season (30), and four out of the five spots will be taken by returning players. That will cause concern for the Aggies, who want to give Weigman the best protection possible in a key season for his NFL hopes. They will be banking on a jump in quality as the group gets more snaps together, but, as things stand this is the weakest o-line of the three.
1. Klubnik, 2. Allar, 3. Weigman
Top receiving talent
All of the receiving groups have substantial question marks. Picking a winner requires plenty of projection, but I will go for Conner Weigman, whose likely No. 1 receiver is Moose Muhammad. After a down season last year, Muhammad will need to step up in 2024, especially since Weigman has lost the uber-talented Evan Stewart, who transferred to Oregon.
For Klubnik, he has a combination of Tyler Brown in the slot and tight end Jake Briningstool as his likely top targets. Antonio Wiliams suffered from multiple injuries in 2023, but returning to the form that saw him grab a spot on most Freshman All-American lists could bolster the position group.
Bringing up the rear is Penn State. As it stands, Ohio State transfer Julian Fleming appears to have the biggest potential to be wide receiver 1 in this offense. While it’s understandable that he has been limited in a ridiculously talented Buckeye offense, the fact the five-star had so little production is a concern.
1. Weigman, 2. Klubnik, 3. Allar
Help from the running game
Having a strong running game takes some of the pressure off the quarterback, and the position is important in terms of blocking and pass-catching. So, which of these three signal-callers has the best backfield companion?
For me, it’s Drew Allar at Penn State. The Nittany Lions have an elite two-headed monster at running back. Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen were five and four-star recruits, respectively and combined for over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns last year.
At Clemson, Cade Klubnik has the powerful Phil Mafeh to get the hard yards and Texas A&M project to have Le’Veon Moss as the starter. For now, I give the Tigers the nod, but the x-factor in the conversation is Aggies running back Rueben Owens. The four-star recruit out of El Campo had 359 rushing yards in 2023 at under 4 yards per carry. However, all of the big hitters offered him, and there is the potential that he may be a breakout candidate for this season.
1. Allar, 2. Klubnik, 3. Weigman
Getting the ball back
Our final section is dedicated to the guys on the other side of the ball. A stingy defense that can force turnovers is a quarterback’s dream. It keeps the playbook wide open and allows the offense to play freely, knowing their defense can keep a lid on the opposition.
All three of these teams landed a spot in the top 20 defenses nationally in 2023, with Penn State coming out top with the second spot. Of course, they had the pass rush duo of Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac, but Abdul Carter will step up this year, and his ceiling could be higher than that of both his predecessors. They have an experienced linebacker corps, and AJ Harris was a 5-star recruit who could be a stud at the cornerback position.
Clemson and Texas A&M suffered plenty of attrition through the portal and the draft, but the Aggies offset that by adding their own transfers. Dabo Swinney’s stubbornness to accept the new rules on player movement means he must find in-house replacements for Jeremiah Trotter, Andrew Mukuba, Nate Wiggins and more.
Meanwhile, the Aggies added Purdue edge rusher Nic Scourton to line up with the two Shemar’s, Stewart and Turner. Those two provided 58 pressures in 2023, add that to Scourton’s 42 as a Boilermaker and that is a pretty dynamic defensive front. Considering Clemson will start two true sophomores on the edge, the Aggies land second place here.
1. Allar, 2. Weigman, 3. Klubnik
Verdict
Totals – Allar (9), Klubnik (9), Weigman (12)
So there we have it: Clemson’s Cade Klubnik and Penn State’s Drew Allar tie for the best situation to thrive in. By no means does that mean Weigman should be discounted from the competition. In fact, of these three, Weigman has arguably been the one to generate the most buzz in draft circles. His year was cut short in 2023 and we could see a major leap on his return.
Allar has the most raw talent. He has the traditional big arm and prototypical size that NFL scouts drool over. While Klubnik could surprise many in his second year working with Garrett Riley. This will undoubtedly be an intriguing battle to watch and monitor throughout the year.
