Ranking ACC quarterbacks in 2025 from Clemson's Cade Klubnik to Bill Belichick's UNC choice
The league had five quarterbacks finish top 20 in passing yards and four end up top 20 in passing touchdowns. Miami's Cam Ward was a Heisman finalist and the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
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Entering 2025, some teams have veteran quarterbacks returning, like Clemson's Cade Klubnik and Georgia Tech's Haynes King, and others have brought in impact transfers, including Miami's Carson Beck and Florida State's Thomas Castellanos.
Here's our ranking of the ACC quarterbacks in 2025 who are projected to start. We've excluded Syracuse, Boston College, Cal and Wake Forest as all are having position battles with an unclear leader.
1. Cade Klubnik, Clemson
Klubnik rebounded in 2024, throwing for 3,639 yards (10th in the nation) with 36 touchdowns (third) and six interceptions and rushing for 463 yards to help Clemson win the ACC championship and return to the College Football Playoff.
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He returned for his senior season and is viewed as a first-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. Clemson returned its offensive coordinator, all of its end-of-year starting wide receivers and four of its starting offensive linemen. Klubnik should thrive in 2025 and be the best quarterback in the conference.
2. Haynes King, Georgia Tech
The Yellow Jackets can be a breakout team in 2025, and King will be the catalyst. The dual-threat quarterback enters his third full season as a starter after leading ACC quarterbacks in completion percentage (72.9%) and rushing touchdowns (11) despite missing two games with a shoulder injury.
King, a sixth-year player, will have to overcome losing wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. to the portal, but he is experienced and dynamic enough to be a top quarterback in the ACC if he can stay healthy.
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MORE ON CLEMSON: Top 5 moments from Clemson athletics, including Cade Klubnik, from 2024-25 season
3. Carson Beck, Miami
Beck transferred from Georgia to Miami to replace quarterback Ward, who won last year's ACC Player of the Year. Beck was considered the top prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft during preseason last year, but he struggled and suffered a late-season elbow injury.
He led the SEC with 28 touchdown passes and was third with 3,485 passing yards through conference championship week but threw 12 interceptions in 13 games. If he fully heals from his injury, he can thrive in a pass-friendly offense surrounded by playmakers.
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4. Kevin Jennings, SMU
Jennings returns to SMU for his first full season as a starter hoping to build on his impactful 2024. He helped the Mustangs to their first ACC championship and CFP appearance after replacing Preston Stone after Week 2.
Jennings had 3,245 yards passing with 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions and rushed for 354 yards and five touchdowns as a third-year player. He will be without top running back Brashard Smith and his most productive pass catcher, Roderick Daniels Jr, but he should be productive with the same offensive coordinator from last year.
5. Miller Moss, Louisville
Moss comes to Louisville for his final season after losing the starting quarterback job at Southern Cal. Third-year coach Jeff Brohm has had success with one-year rentals with Jack Plummer leading the Cardinals to the ACC championship game in 2023, and Tyler Shough helping them win nine games last season.
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Moss will also be supported by running back Isaac Brown and a capable receiver unit that can keep Louisville's momentum strong.
6. Darian Mensah, Duke
Tulane transfer Darian Mensah looks to leave his mark after throwing for 2,723 yards with 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions in his first year in 2024. He replaced Maalik Murphy, who led Duke to nine wins in Year 1 under Manny Diaz.
Duke will need Mensah to maintain or exceed his production as he transitions to ACC competition. In Duke's spring game, he completed 12 of 14 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns.
7. Thomas Castellanos, FSU
Castellanos transferred from Boston College to FSU, looking to help the Seminoles get back on track after an abysmal 2024. He did not thrive last season, getting benched late in the season after throwing for 1,366 yards with 18 touchdowns and five interceptions and rushing for only 194 yards.
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Castellanos is a true dual-threat quarterback and should get back to his dynamic ways with transfer and coaching additions, including FSU new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn.
8. CJ Bailey, NC State
Bailey showed flashes as a true freshman last season as he took over for Grayson McCall, who retired midseason. Bailey threw for 2,413 yards with 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and scored five rushing touchdowns. In his final two games, he completed at least 70% of his passes and had multi-touchdown games.
NC State returns key skill-position players who will allow Bailey to have familiarity in his first full season as starter. He will need to cut down on the interceptions after throwing 10 last year.
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9. Eli Holstein, Pitt
Holstein's first season as a starter was a roller coaster. He helped Pitt to a 7-0 start, then the Panthers lost their remaining six games as he missed three with multiple injuries.
He threw for 2,225 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Holstein threw three passing touchdowns in his first five games, but when competition became tougher, his play regressed. He must remain healthy and consistent against top ACC competition for Pitt to thrive.
10. Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech
Drones and Virginia Tech were popular picks to have breakout years in 2024, but neither lived up to the preseason hype. His passing touchdowns and passing and rushing yards decreased from 2023, and his interceptions increased. He also suffered a knee injury and underwent a procedure this spring.
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Drones enters this season under-the-radar, but he can get back on track if he is healthy and mobile again.
11. Gio Lopez, UNC
New UNC coach Bill Belichick hasn't named a starting quarterback, but Gio Lopez appears to be the front runner. The South Alabama transfer threw for 2,559 passing yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for 463 yards in 11 starts last season. In his lone start against a top program, Lopez had 173 yards and a touchdown in a loss to LSU.
Lopez joined UNC in the spring portal after his second year but is Belichick's first quarterback get since becoming coach. Still, Lopez will have to prove he belongs in the ACC.
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12. Chandler Morris, Virginia
Morris is back in a Power 4 conference after having a career high in attempts completions, passing yards, touchdowns and interceptions with North Texas. He played for Oklahoma for a season and TCU for three years, where he played sparingly due to injuries.
Morris enters his sixth season hoping to prove he can be a capable quarterback in the ACC with the Hokies.
13. Elijah Brown, Stanford
Stanford has undergone coaching changes, but quarterback Elijah Brown remains. He made one start last season and played in two other games in his second season and did not perform well. He threw for 274 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
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Still, Brown is the most experienced quarterback on the roster. He will have to overcome a depleted skill-position group though.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: ACC QB rankings 2025: Cade Klubnik, Haynes King, Carson Beck top list
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