The New York Jets selected Cade Klubnik from the Clemson Tigers in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh last Friday.
Klubnik entered his final season at Clemson as a Heisman favorite, but things never quite came together. He joins DJ Uiagalelei as the latest highly touted Tigers quarterback who failed to live up to expectations in orange and white.
On paper, taking a former first-round talent in the fourth round is a reasonable swing. In reality, the Jets are the last team that should be banking on that kind of gamble. When late-round quarterbacks hit, it usually comes with a strong roster and elite coaching.
New York has neither.
Head coach Aaron Glenn already reset his staff after Year 1 just to buy more time in the Meadowlands. Nothing about the current setup suggests stability heading into this fall.
The Jets also struck out in free agency, leaving behind a quarterback room filled with aging veterans and developmental prospects. Klubnik fits the latter — a long-term project, not an immediate solution.
Elsewhere, teams at least showed conviction. The Arizona Cardinals selected Carson Beck, who flashed real poise in 2025 with the Miami Hurricanes, after his time with the Georgia Bulldogs. Klubnik, meanwhile, never matched the hype that seemed to grow regardless of his play.
To make matters worse, the Jets already moved on from most of their proven talent, holding onto little beyond Breece Hall.
Now they’re drafting tight ends in the first round during a rebuild, while also taking project quarterbacks who feel more likely to send them right back to the top of the draft.
It doesn’t add up.
Then again, neither do the Jets.
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