Being a professional athlete in New York certainly isn’t easy. But that’s the challenging environment former Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik will have to operate in.

Playing in the “Big Apple” means performing under especially high pressure and a bright spotlight that is unique and different from some other, more relaxed media markets.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney says Klubnik will need “thick skin” and must be insensitive to criticism as he suits up in New York after being selected by the Jets in the fourth round (110th overall pick) of the 2026 NFL Draft.

“He’s a two-time ACC championship MVP with a couple titles, but he’s also had some moments that were not so good,” Swinney told ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg. “All those things make you better if you’re made of the right stuff, and he is made of the right stuff, and it has made him better. Especially going to a place like New York, you better have some thick skin.”

New York traded up to get Klubnik, dealing away two fourth-round picks (Nos. 128 and 140) to the Cincinnati Bengals in order to move up 18 spots and grab him. Klubnik will join the Jets’ QB room that also includes Geno Smith, Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe.

“I think Cade has a chance to be an outstanding pro,” Swinney added.

Klubnik is one of the nine Tigers who were taken in this year’s draft, matching Clemson’s school record for a seven-round draft. Clemson’s nine selections tied for the most in the ACC and tied for fourth nationally. All nine of Clemson’s selections came in the first five rounds, and the nine selections tied Ohio State for the most across Rounds 1-5.

The nine selections in those five rounds shattered Clemson’s record for the first five rounds of a draft, surpassing its previous mark of six in the 1991, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2023 drafts. The 2026 NFL Draft also marked the first time in history Clemson had at least one player selected in each of the first five rounds of a single draft.

“We’ve developed well for a long time here, so it’s just more confirmation,” Swinney told Rittenberg. “We didn’t get some of the results that we wanted last year, but that’s on us as coaches. NFL teams, they don’t just pick guys because they like them. They pick them because of what they see on tape.”

The 2026 NFL Draft marked the ninth time that Clemson has produced multiple first-round picks in a single draft, as this year, offensive tackle Blake Miller and defensive tackle Peter Woods were selected in the opening round.

The Detroit Lions landed Miller with the No. 17 overall selection, while the Kansas City Chiefs picked Woods with the 29th overall selection.

“I hadn’t had a first-round OL,” Swinney said, via Rittenberg. “I said, ‘If Blake Miller ain’t a first rounder, I’m never going to have one.’ This guy’s as good as we’ve ever seen. There’s nothing you could discount Blake Miller on. He’s got incredible size, length, athleticism, flexibility, he’s strong as an ox, smart, high character. I mean, he really checked every single box.”

Added Swinney of Woods: “He’s really learned how to take care of his body, but this guy’s a brick house, man. I told everybody, he’s kind of 1 of 1. I really haven’t had a guy like Peter, just his combination of speed and strength, power. He’s got twitchiness. He’s a really, really smart football player. The Chiefs got a good one.”