{"id":875424,"date":"2026-04-26T19:33:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T19:33:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/875424\/"},"modified":"2026-04-26T19:33:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T19:33:17","slug":"what-do-the-new-york-jets-see-in-qb-cade-klubnik","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/875424\/","title":{"rendered":"What do the New York Jets see in QB Cade Klubnik?"},"content":{"rendered":"

On the final day of the 2026 NFL draft, the New York Jets traded up to select <\/a>Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik in the fourth round.<\/p>\n

At this time last year, Klubnik was being talked about as one of the potential headliners of the 2026 draft class. As it turns out, not only was Klubnik far from a highly drafted quarterback, but he was a Day 3 pick in one of the weakest quarterback classes in years.<\/p>\n

So, what do the Jets see in Klubnik? Why would they trade up for him?<\/p>\n

Who is Cade Klubnik?<\/p>\n

Klubnik attended Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, which has produced NFL quarterbacks Drew Brees and Nick Foles. As part of the 2022 recruiting class, Klubnik was a highly touted five-star recruit, ranking as the No. 2 quarterback recruit in the nation behind Drew Allar according to 247Sports.<\/p>\n

Klubnik became Clemson\u2019s starter as a sophomore in 2023, starting 13 games. He led the Tigers to a 9-4 record while throwing for 2,844 yards, 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions, with four rushing touchdowns.<\/p>\n

In his 2024 junior season, Klubnik enjoyed a breakout year, putting him on track for No. 1 overall pick consideration. Across 14 starts, he posted a 10-4 record, throwing for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns, and six interceptions, adding seven rushing touchdowns.<\/p>\n

Deciding to remain in school for a final season, Klubnik\u2019s play regressed drastically, throwing for 2,943 yards, 16 touchdowns, and six interceptions, while declining to four rushing touchdowns. The Tigers went 7-5 in Klubnik\u2019s 12 starts.<\/p>\n

Bill Parcells approved<\/p>\n

Former Jets and Hall of Fame head coach Bill Parcells had a well-known criterion for scouting quarterbacks. The list requires that the quarterback be a senior, have graduated from college, have started for at least three years, have started at least 30 games, have won at least 23 of his starts, have completed more than 60% of passes, and have at least a touchdown-to-interception ratio of at least 2:1.<\/p>\n

Klubnik checks all of those boxes.<\/p>\n

The last quarterback Gang Green has selected who meets that criteria was Chad Pennington in the first round of the 2000 NFL draft. Pennington led the Jets to their most recent AFC East victory in 2002.<\/p>\n

Why did Klubnik fall off in 2025?<\/p>\n

Klubnik\u2019s decline in 2025, which led to Clemson\u2019s worst record since 2010 (7-6), wasn\u2019t entirely his fault; several factors contributed.<\/p>\n

First, there were the injuries. He suffered a right ankle sprain and a thumb injury on his throwing hand, which played a key role in his fall-off as a rusher and passer.<\/p>\n

Secondly, as Jets X-Factor\u2019s Michael Nania pointed out, he dealt with a poor supporting cast. His receivers logged a high 8.5% drop rate, his pass protection was mediocre, and his pass catchers also struggled in contested catch situations (46.6%). <\/p>\n

A look back at supporting cast metrics for the 2026 QB class now that the #Jets<\/a> have selected Cade Klubnik.<\/p>\n

Had quite a few obstacles: High drop%, mediocre pass blocking, subpar run game, and below-average evasiveness + contested-catching from receivers. pic.twitter.com\/VuSRI7ENTq<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Michael Nania (@Michael_Nania) April 25, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Now, do those excuses explain everything? No. Klubnik absolutely showed weaknesses in certain areas. Still, injuries and the play around him also impacted his dip in production.<\/p>\n

The pros<\/p>\n

The things that stand out most when watching Klubnik are his athletic ability and decision-making.<\/p>\n

In 2024, Klubnik rushed for 558 yards and seven touchdowns throughout 88 attempts, showcasing speed and productivity in the ground game.<\/p>\n

As for his decision-making, he rarely puts the ball in harm\u2019s way, throwing just 12 interceptions over 806 passing attempts in the past two seasons. His turnover-worthy play rate was just 2.0% in 2025 and 2.3% the year prior.<\/p>\n

The cons<\/p>\n

While Klubnik is able to push the ball downfield, he lacks ideal arm strength for the NFL level.<\/p>\n

The good news is that Klubnik\u2019s throwing mechanics have a lot of room for improvement. With time to develop his mechanics, Klubnik could unlock more velocity on his passes.<\/p>\n

Another consistent issue is that Klubnik can get antsy in the pocket, which affects his ball placement and accuracy on intermediate and deep passes.<\/p>\n

A scheme fit?<\/p>\n

An interesting aspect of this pick is that Klubnik does not fit what Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich has historically preferred<\/a> in his quarterback. He isn\u2019t particularly a big-bodied QB at 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds, and he is not known for his arm strength.<\/p>\n

Klubnik was also rarely used under center at Clemson last season. While Reich has leaned more on shotgun<\/a>, he has had more success when he relies more on play-action and uses less shotgun.<\/p>\n

What do the Jets see?<\/p>\n

The Jets see Klubnik as someone with a large sample size of starts who has the potential to be a long-term backup. When taking a quarterback in the fourth round, it is very rare for them to become a long-term starter.<\/p>\n

If New York is able to transform Klubnik into a reliable QB2 who can be serviceable when called into action, that would be a win. The Jets\u2019 luck with Day 3 QBs over the past few years hasn\u2019t been too promising, though.<\/p>\n

James Morgan, a fourth-round pick in 2020, was cut after one season, while Jordan Travis, a fifth-rounder in 2024, retired before taking a snap in the green and white.<\/p>\n

Could Klubnik flip that script for Gang Green?<\/p>\n