- Deshaun Watson led Clemson to its first national title win since 1981 in 2016.
- Trevor Lawrence also led Clemson to a national title win, beating Alabama 44-16.
- Steve Fuller’s No. 4 was retired by the Tigers.
The Clemson Tigers won their first national title in 1981, and after that, there was a lull.
However, in the 2010s and beyond, they got an influx of superbly talented signal-callers.
Now, football betting on the Tigers’ CFB odds at the BetMGM online sportsbook is available.
Below, I’ll focus on the quarterbacks and rank the five best ones in Clemson history.
Interested in other top Clemson players? Check out my list of the top Tigers football players of all time.
5 Best Clemson Tigers Quarterbacks, Ranked
| Rank | Player | Tigers Years |
| 1 | Deshaun Watson | 2014-2016 |
| 2 | Trevor Lawrence | 2018-2020 |
| 3 | Tajh Boyd | 2010-2013 |
| 4 | Steve Fuller | 1975-1978 |
| 5 | Cade Klubnik | 2022-Present |
Clemson Tiger All-Time Greatest Quarterbacks
1. Deshaun Watson
Watson was with Clemson from 2014 to 2016. In those three seasons, he accomplished plenty, headlined by the Tigers’ first national title win since 1981 in 2016.
Watson was also named the Offensive MVP of that game after completing 36 of 56 passes for 420 yards and a touchdown.
On top of that win, his awards and accolades shelf is quite decorated:
- Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
- 2× Davey O’Brien Award
- 2× Manning Award
- Consensus All-American
- Second-team All-American
- 2× ACC Athlete of the Year
- ACC Player of the Year
- ACC Offensive Player of the Year
- First-team All-ACC
- Second-team All-ACC
In those three seasons, he threw for 10,163 yards and 90 touchdowns. These are both second in program history.
He holds the single-season passing yardage and passing touchdown record with 4,593 yards and 41 touchdowns in 2016.
2. Trevor Lawrence
Right after Watson, the Tigers had another amazing quarterback in Lawrence.
Across three seasons from 2018 to 2020, Lawrence threw for 10,098 yards (third in program history) and 90 touchdowns (tied for second).
Lawrence led Clemson to a national title win on Jan. 7, 2019, over Alabama, 44-16. He completed 20 of 32 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns in that game and was named the Offensive MVP.
Additionally, Lawrence won the Archie Griffin Award. He was also named the ACC Athlete, Player, Offensive Player, and Offensive Rookie of the Year.
He was a two-time first-team All-ACC and second-team All-ACC pick.
3. Tajh Boyd
Boyd was at Clemson from 2010 to 2013.
In 2010, he attempted just 63 passes, but he took over the reins in 2011.
In his first season, he completed 59.7% of his passes for 3,828 yards, 33 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
Over his career, he threw for 11,904 yards (first) and 107 touchdowns (first). As a runner, he added 1,165 yards and 26 scores.
He went 32-8 over his career and won the Chick-fil-A and Orange Bowl.
He was a first-team All-American, ACC Player of the Year, two-time first-team All-ACC, and second-team All-ACC.
4. Steve Fuller
Rewinding the clock back to the 1970s, Fuller played from 1975 to 1978.
He accumulated 6,096 total yards over his career (ninth).
The overall statistics weren’t what we see today, but Fuller started 27 straight games and won 19 games over his final two seasons.
He was a third-team All-American, a two-time ACC Player of the Year, and a two-time first-team All-ACC selection; his No. 4 was also retired by the school.
5. Cade Klubnik
As of the 2025 college football season, Klubnik is still on the Tigers, and I believe he could be even higher on this list by season’s end.
Klubnik has started two full seasons in 2023 and 2024.
In 2022, he saw some time, too, passing the ball 100 times for 697 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Through the 2024 season, Klubnik has thrown for 7,180 yards (fifth) and 57 touchdowns (fourth).
In 2024, he threw for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He added 463 rushing yards and seven more scores.
He led Clemson to the 12-team College Football Playoff and a No. 4 ranking in the 2025 preseason AP Top 25.
If he repeats his statistics from last season, he could climb to No. 2 in both passing yards and passing touchdowns.
Who Was the Best Quarterback Ever for the Clemson Tigers?
The best quarterback in Clemson Tigers history is Deshaun Watson.
In three seasons, he passed for 10,163 yards, 90 touchdowns, and led the Tigers to their first national title since 1981 in 2016.
Who Is the Winningest Quarterback in Clemson Tigers History?
The winningest quarterback in Clemson Tigers history is Trevor Lawrence, who went 34-2 as a starter.
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