Former Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik was drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft with the 110th overall pick, joining a Jets QB room that also includes Geno Smith, Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe.

Smith, a 14-year veteran, has already been named the starter by Jets head coach Aaron Glenn. But Klubnik is competing to back up Smith this season.

Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano recently released his annual backup quarterback rankings, and Klubnik ranks last – at No. 32 – among the NFL’s backup QBs of 2026.

“It’s not a given that Klubnik will open the season as Geno Smith’s backup after coach Aaron Glenn recently said that veteran Bailey Zappe is No. 2 on the depth chart, but he added that there’s an ‘open competition’ for the role,” Manzano wrote.

“I predict that Klubnik will win the QB2 job this summer, and it bodes well that he’s already received praise from Smith for the way he prepares throughout the week. Most teams would rather not have a rookie fourth-rounder as the backup QB, but the Jets likely wouldn’t mind seeing what they have in Klubnik before next year’s loaded QB draft class. Klubnik played 49 games during his four years at Clemson.”

As for the QBs currently on New York’s roster behind Smith – Zappe, a fourth-year pro, has nine career starts under his belt between his time with the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns. Meanwhile, Cook started four games last season after signing with the Jets as an undrafted free agent.

Klubnik was considered a potential first-round pick during his career at Clemson, especially in the offseason prior to his senior season last year, following a junior season during which he passed for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns and only six interceptions while leading the Tigers to an ACC title and appearance in the College Football Playoff.

Unfortunately, Klubnik’s senior season in 2025 did not go as planned. The Tigers as a team had a highly disappointing 7-6 season, and Klubnik himself saw his numbers fall off compared to his stellar 2024 campaign, as he threw for 2,943 yards, 16 touchdowns and six picks.

As a result, Klubnik’s draft stock suffered as well, and he didn’t come off the board until Day 3 of this year’s NFL Draft. That’s when the Jets traded up to get him, dealing away two fourth-round picks (Nos. 128 and 140) to the Cincinnati Bengals in order to move up 18 spots and grab him in the fourth round.

After the draft, Jets general manager Darren Mougey gave his evaluation of Klubnik, and explained why the team decided to trade up for him.

“I felt really good about Cade,” Mougey said. “Obviously last year, evaluating all those quarterbacks going into this year, we had good grades on Cade going into this year. You watch him this year – he got hurt early and was playing hurt much of the year, and that team kind of struggled. But was excited to get around him at the combine.

“Had a great combine interview, which sparked us to want to get down to Clemson and work him out and spend some more time with him. We went down there, and it was great exposure being there on campus with him, in the room, talking ball. Felt very natural. Felt like there was a connection there. Getting on the field, doing the workout, he showed well. So, felt really good about Cade, a young player who has a lot of experience.”

Though his senior season did not go as he had hoped, Klubnik, a two-time ACC Championship Game MVP, exited Clemson as the school-record-holder in pass completions (916) and pass attempts (1,432), third in passing yards (10,123), fourth in passing touchdowns (73), total touchdown responsibility (90) and total offense (11,001). He also joined Rodney Williams (44), Tajh Boyd (40), Nealon Greene (40) and Charlie Whitehurst (40) as the fifth quarterback in Clemson history to start at least 40 career games at quarterback. Klubnik posted a 26-14 record as a starter, concluding his career fifth in wins by a starting quarterback in school history.

Joe Flacco of the Bengals is No. 1 in Manzano’s backup QB rankings, followed by Mac Jones of the 49ers at No. 2, Tua Tagovailoa of the Falcons at No. 3, Jameis Winston of the Giants at No. 4, and Fernando Mendoza of the Raiders at No. 5.