ESPN’s Ben Solak released a 2026 NFL quarterback mock draft, predicting which NFL teams will draft quarterbacks — nine “perfect fits” across seven rounds.

“Instead of focusing on a round or a team, I’m focusing on a position: quarterback,” Solak wrote. “I tried to find the ideal landing spot for every single draftable quarterback in this 2026 class across all seven rounds — within the constraints of realism, of course. And I attempted to find a happy medium between scheme/system fit, team need and total draft capital, and I was mindful of both short- and long-term team-building horizons.”

So, where could Clemson’s Cade Klubnik land in the 2026 NFL Draft?

Solak’s QB mock draft has Klubnik going in the sixth round, with the No. 200 overall pick, to … the Carolina Panthers.

That is especially notable, because as you probably know, the Panthers are the only team in the NFL that has never drafted a player from Clemson.

Here’s what Solak wrote about Klubnik and the Panthers as a potential team fit for him:

The Panthers traded away their longtime QB2 and valuable spot starter Andy Dalton this past offseason, leaving only Kenny Pickett behind Bryce Young. As such, I could see them adding a QB2 candidate much earlier than the sixth round. But I’ll stick with the late-drafted, (relatively) local kid in Clemson product Klubnik.

An ex-five-star recruit, Klubnik has a great arm with solid throwing mechanics. His best throws come on his deep ball, which he can also deliver well on the move, and his quick upfield stride takes a lot of linebackers by surprise. Klubnik is a classic “give a receiver a chance” sort of quarterback — he’ll hang a lot of catchable balls on high trajectory throws, and his accuracy falls off when forced to drive breaking routes between windows.

Klubnik would benefit from supersized receivers such as Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker (a big slot), as they’re able to win downfield with boxout positioning. He isn’t a one-to-one style fit to Young, but having a backup who plays similarly to the starter is an overrated advantage. When Klubnik plays on time, he reminds me of Dalton, who didn’t play much like Young anyway.

Struggles with timing and anticipation have marred Klubnik’s film at times, but coach Dave Canales has historically succeeded at getting quarterbacks (Geno Smith, Baker Mayfield) to play a quicker brand of football. The marriage could work for Klubnik as a rookie contract backup.

The 2026 NFL Draft will take place from April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. Longtime ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Klubnik as the No. 8 quarterback in this year’s draft class.

Klubnik spent four seasons at Clemson, including the last three as the Tigers’ starting QB. He passed for 10,123 yards with 73 touchdowns and 24 interceptions during his Clemson career spanning 49 games (40 starts) from 2022-25. He also rushed for 878 yards and 17 touchdowns on 369 carries.

The former five-star prospect finished his Clemson career with 11,001 yards of total offense, becoming the fourth quarterback in school history to reach the 11,000-yard mark. Klubnik leaves Clemson as the school record-holder in pass completions (916) and pass attempts (1,432), third in passing yards (10,123) and fourth in passing touchdowns (73), total touchdown responsibility (90) and yards of total offense (11,001).

Klubnik posted a 26-14 record as a starter, concluding his career fifth in wins by a starting quarterback in school history. He is one of six Tiger quarterbacks since World War II to win at least 25 games as a starting quarterback, and he became the third two-time ACC Championship Game MVP all-time.

ESPN also recently assessed why Klubnik could succeed – or fail – in the NFL.