Pok’s Football Week in Review: 2026 Recruits and a look at the NFL

Memorial Day weekend is in the books, and summer is quickly approaching. But while the football world awaits practices kicking off again, Pok’s Football Week in Review marches on!

We have another edition of the Player of the Day that focuses on a very fun college quarterback in the ACC, as well as another “Recruiting Roundup” for the USF Bulls, FIU Panthers, and FAU Owls. Unique to this week’s column, we’ll also look ahead toward some players who could take a leap in 2025. And lastly, we have my “Grab Bag” of other notes from throughout the week.

It is another jam-packed column to round up what was another fun week in the world of football. If you are new here, welcome! And if you are a regular, let us dive into another edition of Pok’s Football Week in Review!

Player of the Day: Cade Klubnik, QB – Clemson

After covering LaNorris Sellers last week, we are staying in the state of South Carolina! A player who could have declared after this past season, Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik could be a fun prospect in the upcoming 2026 class.

In his second full season starting for the Tigers, Klubnik took a major leap forward as an overall player. As a passer, the quarterback had 3,642 yards and 36 touchdowns, with a completion percentage of 62.6. Klubnik had an ADOT of 9.4 and had 28 big-time throws. Additionally, he dropped his interceptions from nine to six in 2023 and lowered his turnover-worthy plays from 18 to 13 in 2023.

As a runner, Klubnik also took a step forward. The quarterback notched 588 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, forcing 15 missed tackles and 290 yards after contact.

On the positive side of things, there is so much to like about Klubnik and how he plays the quarterback position:

• He’s good with his reads in the face of pressure and is a smooth operator in the pocket. Looks comfortable in Clemson’s offensive scheme. His eyes are always downfield and rarely drop when under duress.
• Klubnik has good escapability and is always trying to make a play happen down the field. It also allows him to be smooth when throwing the ball on the run.
• He’s a gritty and tough runner with good speed.
• Love the mechanics on Klubnik’s upper body and lower body. It’s extremely consistent and allows him to have good accuracy at all levels of the field, especially in the intermediate and deep areas. 
• Solid-good arm strength that Klubnik uses to rip throws into tight windows.
• Klubnik does well on designed runs. 
• His touch throws are a major plus.
• He has great pocket movement and has a good internal clock. 
• Klubnick is good at getting through his reads and delivering throws on time. 

However, there are some things that the Clemson quarterback does that would fall into a negative light:

• Klubnik makes some occasional bad decisions as a thrower and runner. He tries to make things happen when he can live to fight another day. 
• He needs an earlier trigger on some throws, especially over the middle of the field.
• Klubnik can occasionally lock onto a target, making it easier for a defender to make a play. 
• Klubnik needs to eliminate some drifting and fading away from his throws. Not a huge issue in the grand scheme of things, though
• He needs to avoid big hits. Essentially, he must learn how to slide.

Outside of the Georgia game to start off his 2024 season, Klubnik arguably showed out for every single game of his junior season. He displayed high-level traits, performed in the clutch consistently for Clemson, and was a huge part of the Tigers getting back to the College Football Playoff. Klubnik took improved in every area of his game, specifically impressing with his pocket movement, touch throwing, and overall accuracy as a quarterback.

For 2025, I want to see Klubnik clean up some of the more “boneheaded” aspects of his game. He needs to learn to fight another day on some of his erratic passing plays. He also needs to learn how to slide as a runner. Additionally, I would like to see Klubnik be a bit quicker to some of his throws over the middle of the field.

In a sense, Klubnik is very similar to Sellers and a few other quarterbacks in the 2026 class. He has all of the traits, ability, and even production to be a top player in the class. With some refinements to his game and a continued upward trajectory that builds on his 2024 season, Klubnik will be in a very good spot as a player and prospect.

Recruiting Roundup

College football recruiting never truly ends, and this week showed that FIU, USF, and FAU agree with that mantra.

USF Bulls

USF picked up three players for their 2026 class at their Bay Bash event. They also added one more later in the week, raising their number of commitments to the class to 18.

The first player to commit was Gabriel Legrand, a wide receiver out of Lake Walls, Florida. Legrand has nice deep speed, smooth movement ability, and displayed nice hands. Legrand’s best ability was his ball-tracking. No matter what type of throw it was, the wideout made the right adjustment and a great play.

After a season in which he posted 498 yards and four touchdowns, Legrand held offers from Minnesota, Kansas, Georgia Tech, and more. Despite this, the Florida native chose to stay home and commit to play for the Bulls. By landing Legrand, USF has another big-bodied wideout that can create big plays down the field. However, the Lake Walls native also has smooth route running and body control at a very young age. With these skills, I see Legrand having a high ceiling at the next level.

Latrell Sellers, a Georgia native, was one of the other two commitments the Bulls landed outside of Legrand. Sellers is listed as a linebacker, but he has contributed in every aspect of the game in his high school career. On offense, Sellers has 460 yards rushing, 380 yards receiving, and 33 yards passing. He has five total touchdowns over his career, as well.

On defense, Sellers has 45 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks, and five interceptions. He also had eight pass breakups, one fumble recovery, and eight hurries.

It is not very often that you see a player go from unleashing boom stick hits on defense to making contested catches on offense, but Sellers has done that in droves. Other schools noticed very quickly as well.

Sellers had offers from schools such as Wake Forest, Delaware, and Navy before choosing USF. With all of his athletic abilities and versatility, Sellers is a ball of clay for the Bulls that could be very fun once he gets to campus.

The third football player the Bulls added was linebacker Lorenzo Barnes. Set to play at Gadsden County for his senior season, Barnes had 95 tackles, two sacks, two PBUs, and a sack in his junior season. He flies around the field on a consistent basis, closing the gap on running backs and receivers. I really enjoyed how he tackled, too; there were no issues with his form or how he approached attacking the ball carrier.

If they see it to be a good fit, I could easily see Barnes transitioning to more of a box safety role that utilizes his open-field speed and quickness to make plays. But even if he stays at linebacker, I like the potential that Barnes has at the next level.

Last, but certainly not least, USF added Plant City defensive back Masiyah Limehouse. Holding additional offers from FIU, Sacramento State, and Western Michigan, Limehouse makes plays in coverage and in the run game. As a defender, he flies downhill and displays good tackling form. No matter where he is in the defensive backfield, Limehouse makes plays on ball carriers, as evidenced by his 35 total tackles last season.

As a coverage player, Limehouse is a technician with fluid movement. He racked up 19 pass defenses and one interception last season for Plant City. Limehouse stays in the hip pocket of defenders on deep routes, breaks quickly on short routes, and has the speed to close ground for pass breakups. Additionally, his size allows him to make some plays that other defensive backs could not.

USF evidently wanted to get in on a very talented cornerback before other schools, and they landed a commitment from Limehouse as a result. If he gets to campus, the cornerback is a very toolsy player with some very high upside for the Bulls.

Florida Atlantic Owls

The Owls landed their first high school commitment of the Zach Kittley era in defensive back Sean Williams. Williams, a Georgia native, committed to the Owls over USF, SMU, Purdue, Pitt, West Virginia, and more.

As a football player, Williams immediately pops off the page with his movement in the secondary. He easily gets himself into a great position to make plays against the pass or the run. He then uses strength to make tackles and impressive athletic ability to force incompletions and turnovers. This translated to the stat sheet; Williams racked up three interceptions, 14 pass breakups, 18 tackles, and two fumble recoveries in 2024.

With so many spots up for grabs for the Owls’ secondary in 2025, it is very feasible to think that the same may be the case for 2026. If FAU can get Williams to campus, I would not be shocked to see him make an instant impact for the Owls in the AAC.

FIU Panthers

Lastly, FIU landed a potential impact player in cornerback Tyderick Brown. A class of 2024 member, Brown had three interceptions for Duncanville High School’s football team to help lead them to a state championship game win. He displayed good instincts, ball skills, and overall athleticism at the position, which is especially impressive when considering his level of competition.

Brown may not have gotten on the field at UAB, but he could easily be a contributor for the Panthers in short order. Whether in 2025 or next season, I could see the Duncanville native winning some key reps thanks to his blend of athleticism and skill at defensive back.

2025 NFL Season: Four Players Who Could Take a Leap

OTAs have arrived, which means NFL football is essentially around the corner. Training camps will be here before you can blink, as will the kickoff to the 2025 season.

As a result, I would like to take a look at some players who could make a leap in 2025. These are players who showed promise in 2024, are in a situation to explode onto the scene this year, or a little bit of both. A lot can change from late May until September, but these are four football players I see taking that much-needed step forward.

Braelon Allen, RB, New York Jets

Used sparingly by an objectively poor coaching staff in 2024, Braelon Allen notched 334 yards and two touchdowns on 92 attempts. He averaged 3.6 yards per attempt, forced 10 missed tackles, and had 263 yards after contact. As a receiver, Allen had 148 yards and a touchdown on 19 receptions.

New York’s offensive scheme last season was poor, to say the least. Related to Allen’s struggles was the Jets’ sheer disregard for under-center runs, particularly those between the tackles. On his 50 attempts in between the tackles, only 28 percent came from snaps under center. Add in plenty of carries with zero motion and stacked boxes, and it makes sense why Allen struggled in the way that he did last season.

Under new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand and quarterback Justin Fields, I would expect a more creative running scheme for New York. Detroit’s influence on Engstrand should mean plenty of motion and different formations to get the offense in advantageous rushing situations. Add in a talented offensive line, and the rushing lanes should be there for the running backs.

Most importantly for Allen, though, is the fact that backfield carries will likely be split in New York. Engstrand’s scheme should take advantage of Allen’s skill set in a far greater capacity, allowing him to attack downhill and rack up yards. Still only 21 years old, Allen has plenty of room to build on top of a nice foundation that he set in his rookie season.

Alongside Breece Hall, I do see Allen taking a leap in his second NFL season. I see the Wisconsin product improving on his pass blocking, settling in as a runner, and being a great downhill option for the Jets. He may still be a bit away from star-level production in 2025, but I do see Allen being a key contributor for the New York offense.

Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears

In an abysmally designed Chicago offense last season, Caleb Williams still posted 3,541 yards passing, 20 passing touchdowns, and added 489 rushing yards. He had 24 big-time throws and only had 19 turnover-worthy plays. On the other hand, Williams had six interceptions and took a ridiculous 68 sacks.

At many times last season, it seemed that Williams was fighting for life. The route designs were poor, the offensive line did not hold up, and Williams’s weapons did not make enough plays. At other times, Williams buried himself and caused his own issues. He held the ball too long, tried to make plays happen that were not there, and forced the ball into closed windows.

Looking at Chicago’s offseason, though, the pieces are there for Williams to immediately break out in 2025.

The Bears hired Ben Johnson to be their new head coach, and he immediately brings a level of offensive stability to Chicago. Outside of the flashy plays he is known for, Johnson consistently designed productive offenses and helped turn Jared Goff into a very high-floor NFL quarterback. I am fairly certain Johnson will help take Williams to a new level as a processor, as well as utilize his play-making ability to its fullest.

Additionally, Chicago shored up its offensive line and added key weapons in Michigan tight end Colston Loveland and Missouri wideout Luther Burden III. Added to a group that already includes Rome Odunze and D.J. Moore, Williams has a surrounding cast ready to help him succeed.

Will he be perfect in year two? I highly doubt it. But with a good offensive mind at head coach and an improved team around him, Williams will remind everyone why he was the No. 1 overall pick last season.

Chop Robinson, EDGE, Miami Dolphins

Shifting to the defensive side of the ball, I think Miami’s Chop Robinson could turn into one of the best pure pass rushers in football this season.

Playing 52.8 percent of the team’s total snaps, Robinson notched 56 pressures and seven sacks on 344 total pass rushing opportunities. He had a 0.76 get-off time and had 24 of his pressures come in three seconds or less. Additionally, Robinson contributed 13 tackles and 14 defensive stops in the run game in 2024.

Robinson, dating back to his time at Penn State, always had the athletic gifts to be a great football player. And while many expected him to be a solid contributor down the line, not many expected him to be the type of instant contributor he was as a pass rusher in 2024.

With a full NFL offseason program to develop his play strength and toolkit as a pass rusher, Robinson is in a position to blow up in 2025. And based on reports already coming out of OTAs, the edge rusher is well on his way to becoming on of the best at his position.

Trey Benson, RB, Arizona Cardinals

Moving back to the offensive side of the ball, I think that 2025 is the year that Trey Benson is unleashed for the Arizona Cardinals.

A great athlete at the position, Benson had 63 carries for 291 yards and a touchdown. He forced 14 missed tackles, had 10 runs of 10 yards or more, and had 17 rushing yards over expected. As a receiver, Benson had six catches for 59 yards.

The Florida State product has the speed, power, and quick-twitch ability to be a true asset for Arizona. He can capitalize on mistakes the defense makes in space, punish poor tackling attempts, and follow the lanes that are blocked from the Cardinals’ offensive line. As a receiver, Benson has the hands and quickness to punish smaller defenders in space and consistently keep the chains moving.

Grab Bag: Other Football Notes From the Week

As always, it is time to wrap up this week’s edition of the column with the “Grab Bag,” also known as my other notes from the week!

• The NFL unanimously approved a motion allowing its players to participate in flag football at the 2028 Olympic Games. I’m excited to see which players participate and how these athletes see their game translate to the flag-based game. Also, I am fascinated to see if different players find ways to represent countries that others may not think they would. 2028 is going to be a fun year of football.
• Another FIU coach will have the chance to join an NFL coaching staff for the summer. Defensive line coach Kenechi Udeze is joining the world champion Philadelphia Eagles at the start of their training camp as a part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. This is the third coach for the Panthers to join an NFL staff for the summer, and is once again a testament to the staff that Willie Simmons is building at FIU.
• I am not at wideouts in my full evaluations yet, but I wanted to shout out Clemson’s Antonio Williams. Between his shiftiness, route-running, and speed, I firmly believe he could be one of the best in his class.
• Around the Horn ended its legendary run on ESPN this past week, and I wanted to spend a moment to talk about it. Like many others, ATH was a huge part of my sports childhood and early teenage years. There was nothing better than coming home from school and turning on the TV to some of the best people in the industry debating the various topics of the day. Whether I realized it at the time, ATH set the foundation for me to enter the sports journalism field and pursue a career in it. All of those hours watching the panelists made me want to strive to be as talented, engaging, and versatile as they are. It is truly a shame that many others will not be able to have the same experience with ATH that I did, but that only means it falls to my generation to pass the right lessons from that show onto them. With that being said, a huge shoutout to Around the Horn and the legend Tony Reali. Without the show, I truly do not know where the seeds of my sports journalism path would have been planted. So, thank you for everything!

That concludes this week’s edition of the column! Thank you for reading along, have a great weekend, and I will catch you next time!