Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik signs multi-year NIL deal with Rhoback

Cade Klubnik is primed to be the next great Clemson quarterback.

The sophomore took over in the ACC title game for DJ Uiagalelei, leading the Tigers to their 27th conference title. He’s now set for his first full season as Clemson’s starting quarterback.

He’ll do so as one of the faces of Rhoback’s NIL campaign. The former five-star prospect agreed to terms on a multi-year endorsement deal with the activewear company. He becomes the brand’s second long-term play; Rhoback is in its second year of a partnership with Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe.

Rhoback’s commitment is Klubnik’s most prolific NIL agreement to date.

“I am incredibly excited to team up with Rhoback as my official apparel sponsor and help lead Rhoback U. As a growing activewear brand, Rhoback continues to develop the highest quality products while creating trendsetting media,” Klubnik said. “I immediately related to their energy and creativity and can’t wait to share what we have in store this season with the Clemson community. As one of the fastest-growing activewear bands in the country, I couldn’t be happier to be a part of Rhoback.”

As part of the deal, he will be compensated and have an opportunity to earn a commission for sales he drives for Rhoback. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound quarterback will also receive a substantial amount of gear. Another unique aspect of working with the company is content creation. Rhoback allows athletes to work with its media house, creating brand messaging, along with content creation for social media channels.

Rhoback’s aggressive NIL strategy

The activewear brand continues to return to the NIL space for marketing. The Charlottesville, Virginia, company started its Rhoback U program in July 2021, shortly after the NCAA made its move. The program allows athletes from all sports and divisions to apply, with more than 3,000 deals signed to date.

Rhoback has also spent significant dollars working with top talent in college football. JT Daniels and Kyle Hamilton were the headliners of the inaugural ambassador program. Last year’s fall campaign was led by Alabama‘s Will Anderson, Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer and Texas running back Bijan Robinson.

Rhoback has focused on tapping into the college football fanbase with athletes in the SEC footprint. Klubnik is the company’s first ACC football player to be signed as one of the brand’s “core athletes.” More ambassador announcements are expected in the next 10 days.

“We are thrilled to join Cade Klubnik’s team as his official apparel sponsor,” Rhoback said in a statement. “Named to the watchlist for the Davey O’Brien Award, which is given to the nation’s best quarterback, Cade will help lead our Rhoback U program. Cade’s energy and leadership immediately stood out and we couldn’t be more honored to join his team as he leads Clemson at quarterback this season. Be on the lookout for exciting content with Cade as he helps grow our Rhoback U collegiate sponsorship program.”

Cade Klubnik embracing NIL Era

An Elite 11 MVP, Klubnik finished his freshman year with nearly 700 passing yards in 10 games. After taking over in the ACC title game, he was 20 of 24 for 279 yards and a touchdown. The Austin (Texas) Westlake product had a 61% completion percentage during the year.

Repped by Austin Lyman of Athletes First, Klubnik has started to branch off into the NIL realm. He dropped a merchandise line back in December, releasing a variety of T-shirts, long-sleeve shirts, pants, beanies and hoodies for sale. The apparel features his logo, jersey number or the motto “Join the Klub.” Prices range from $30 to $50. He recently released notebooks, laptop sleeves and water bottles.

The quarterback signed with Fred Caldwell Chevrolet of Clover, South Carolina, in May. As part of the agreement, he received the keys to a Chevrolet truck.

Klubnik has amassed more than 112,000 social media followers between Instagram and Twitter. A strong start to the season could put him in a position to succeed. He also holds a $310,000 On3 NIL Valuation, which ranks in the top 170 of the college football NIL rankings.

The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets the standard market NIL value for high school and college athletes. A proprietary algorithm, the On3 NIL Valuation calculates an athlete’s NIL value using dynamic data points targeting three primary categories: performance, influence and exposure.

About On3 NIL Valuation, Brand Value, Roster Value

While the algorithm includes deal data, it does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals athletes have completed to date, nor does it set an athlete’s NIL valuation for their entire career. The On3 NIL Valuation calculates the optimized NIL opportunity for athletes relative to the overall NIL market and projects out to as long as 12 months into the future.