Clemson 5-star football commit one of three finalists for national player of the year

Five-star quarterback Cade Klubnik is Clemson's top commit for the current recruiting cycle and Tuesday he was announced as one of three finalists for Gatorade National Player of the Year.

Klubnik, a Westlake High School (Austin, Texas) recruit ranked as the No. 1 quarterback and 20th overall prospect in the 247 Sports Composite is joined by California receiver and Oregon commit Tetairoa McMillan and Pennsylvania running back and Penn State commit Nick Singleton.

He played only the first half of his school's 70-7 win Saturday over Vandergrift to improve to 14-0 and advance to the state semifinals. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter were in attendance to see Klubnik complete 8 of 9 passes for 138 yards and rush for 44 yards and two touchdowns.

Klubnik has now completed 155 of 216 passing (72 percent) this season for 2,624 yards with 34 touchdowns and two interceptions. He's rushed 52 times for 406 yards and 13 touchdowns. His school is on a 38-game winning streak.

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Gatorade describes the award as "recognizing student-athletes not only for outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character."

Past winners have combined for six NFL MVP awards, 31 Pro Bowl appearances, six first round draft picks and two Hall of Famers.

Former recipients include former Dallas running back Emmitt Smith (1986-87), former Indianapolis and Denver quarterback Peyton Manning (1993-94) and Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray (2014-15).

Klubnik has volunteered locally on behalf of the Special Olympics and youth sports programs in addition to maintaining an 'A' average in the classroom according to a release.

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“Klubnik has the size and the speed and all the intangibles,” said rival Hutto High School coach Brad LaPlante. “The game is never too fast for him. He can put the ball where it should be in a small window and he really controls the game.”

He is the reigning USA TODAY Offensive Player of the Year and was MVP of last year's Elite 11 quarterback competition. He has been selected to play in the 2022 All-American Bowl in the San Antonio, Texas Alamodome on Jan. 8 which will be televised by NBC.

Klubnik has the opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local or national organization of his choosing that helps young athletes realize the benefits of playing sports according to a release. He is also eligible to submit a short video explaining why the organization he chose is deserving of one of twelve $10,000 spotlight grants.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson commit Cade Klubnik Gatorade national player of year finalists