Clemson Tigers football star Cade Klubnik predicted to replace veteran QB on awful NFL team

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Bryce Lazenby
Clemson Tigers football star Cade Klubnik predicted to replace veteran QB on awful NFL team image

Cade Klubnik is expected to be one of the first quarterbacks selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. Klubnik is a former top recruit who has excelled at Clemson so far.

In 2024, Klubnik played in 14 games for the Tigers and threw for 3,639 yards with 36 touchdowns and six interceptions while leading the Tigers to the College Football Playoff. 

That impressive campaign vaulted Klubnik up early draft boards. Now, the passer appears set to be among the top options for quarterback-needy teams next offseason. 

Brentley Weissman of Pro Football Network recently put together a three-round 2026 mock draft. With the No. 2 overall pick, Weissman has the New York Jets selecting Klubnik. 

Justin Fields has a great chance to succeed in New York, and the Jets are doing everything in their power to make that happen. With that said, it is unlikely that Fields takes that next step as a starter. And if the Jets are picking this high in the draft, then it likely means Fields failed to establish himself.

Cade Klubnik is a player whose instincts, velocity and overall athleticism all stand out. If he continues to take steps forward like he did last season, he will undoubtedly be a top-five pick.

As Weissman mentioned, if the Jets are picking that high in the draft again, it likely means Justin Fields failed to impress. 

This offseason, the team tried to reinvent the offense to help a quarterback succeed. The offensive line should be better after adding Armand Membou in the first round, and the weapons include Garrett Wilson and rookie tight end Mason Taylor. 

The Jets added Fields this offseason on a two-year deal to replace Aaron Rodgers. However, Fields has so far failed to impress much in the NFL, so there's no guarantee the quarterback finally puts it together in New York. 

The 2026 quarterback class is expected to be loaded, with Klubnik, Arch Manning, Drew Allar, and Garrett Nussmeier in the running to be the top pick. Even if Fields is serviceable, the Jets probably won't want to miss out on a potentially franchise-altering rookie quarterback. 

Klubnik has a strong arm, high football IQ, and plus athleticism. In addition to his 3,639 passing yards, the quarterback also rushed for 463 yards and seven touchdowns, proving that he could be a dual-threat weapon. 

The Jets are undoubtedly hoping Fields plays well enough that the team won't have a top-five pick again. However, if he doesn't, the team can feel good about the options at the top of the draft.