ESPN weighed in on various quarterback battles to watch around college football – including what to look for as Christopher Vizzina and Tait Reynolds compete to be Clemson’s QB1.

The redshirt junior Vizzina is currently still in the “pole position” for the starting job in 2026, as head coach Dabo Swinney said after Clemson’s spring game on March 28, while Swinney deemed the true freshman Reynolds the clear No. 2 after Vizzina in the current competition.

Swinney said those two guys have clearly separated themselves in the QB race to this point, and Swinney readily admitted that Reynolds really has a shot at pushing for the starting job.

“Reynolds was undeniably the breakout star of spring practice for the Tigers,” ESPN’s Max Olson wrote. “The 6-foot-2, 215-pound true freshman, a four-star recruit from Arizona, came in and proved he’ll be ready to play early in his first semester in the program. But coach Dabo Swinney has a lot of faith in Vizzina and his preparedness to step up and embrace his starting opportunity.”

Vizzina served as Cade Klubnik’s backup for multiple years. Before enrolling at Clemson in January 2023, Vizzina was ranked among the nation’s top prospects in the 2023 recruiting class. The high four-star had more than 30 offers, including from some of the best football programs in the country.

Heading into 2026 after his first three years at Clemson from 2023-25, Vizzina has completed 61 percent of his passes for 596 yards and four touchdowns with one interception in 238 career offensive snaps across 14 games (one start), while also rushing for 109 yards and a touchdown on 38 carries.

As for Reynolds, who enrolled at Clemson this past January, he was the No. 3 prospect in the state of Arizona and the 11th-best dual-threat quarterback nationally in the 2026 recruiting class, according to ESPN.

A hamstring injury basically robbed Reynolds of his entire senior season at Queen Creek (Ariz.) High School, but before that, he completed 61.9 percent of his passes for 2,238 yards with 22 touchdowns and only five interceptions as a junior in 2024. He also rushed 137 times for 1,426 yards and 19 touchdowns that year en route to being named by the Arizona Cardinals as the state’s player of the year.

“Vizzina got a chance to start against SMU last season and threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns on 29-of-42 passing in a 35-24 loss,” Olson noted. “Reynolds competed with three other passers for No. 2 duties this spring and left no doubt he was the best option. Swinney has been describing him as an “elite talent” since signing day, and it seems clear his time will come sooner than later.”

Clemson’s QB battle will continue into the summer and fall camp as the ACC’s Tigers prepare to face the SEC’s LSU Tigers on Sept. 5 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. (7:30 p.m., ABC).

“The fact Clemson opens the season at LSU is tough to ignore in this discussion,” Olson added. “Vizzina’s experience is a significant advantage, but Reynolds will keep pushing him in August.”

No matter how Clemson’s quarterback battle shakes out, Swinney believes the Tigers will be better because of it.

“Now we’re coming out with some clarity, and we’ve got two really good players that are going to go compete,” Swinney said in a recent interview with national college football analyst Josh Pate.

“And either way, we’re going to get better. [If] CV [Vizzina] holds this kid off, and he’s earned it. [If] Tait beats him out, then — because CV ain’t going to back up [in the QB battle]. So either way, we get better there.”