Could former Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik be the NFL’s next Brock Purdy?
Purdy went from being Mr Irrelevant, the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, to one of the league’s bright, young stars with the 49ers, leading San Francisco to a Super Bowl appearance in 2022.
FOX Sports recently talked with some NFL scouts about which quarterbacks taken on Day 3 of this year’s draft have the best shot at being the next Purdy.
Of the six quarterbacks considered, Klubnik was slotted as the top choice.
Klubnik was taken by the New York Jets in the fourth round with the 110th overall pick.
Résumé: A three-year starter at Clemson, who started 40 games overall. The 6-2, 207-pounder had a big junior season (3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns, six interceptions, plus 463 yards and 7 rushing TDs) capped by a big game against Texas in the College Football Playoff (336 yards, three TDs, one interception). That led some to project he’d be one of the top QBs in the 2026 class. But it all fell apart during his senior year, as the Tigers struggled and his production dropped (2,943 yards, 16 TDs, 6 interceptions). Klubnik played through a severe high ankle sprain he suffered in October, and a right wrist injury later in the season.
Scouts Take: “The tools are all there: the arm, the athletic ability, and he’s really smart. His big flaw is that he can be pressured into bad decisions. That’s a worry for someone with as much experience as he had. … He was just starting to look like himself again when he got hurt last year. He started a little slow, but it was coming along. The injury changed everything. … I never thought he was a can’t-miss prospect. He’s not as cool under pressure as (Fernando) Mendoza. But had he stayed healthy he probably could’ve been a second-rounder. Maybe late first. … On the right team he could be good. Just keep the pressure off him and he’s got the skills to make things happen. But he has to be in a better situation than he’s in right now.”
Opportunity: Of all the Day 3 picks, the 22-year-old Klubnik has the clearest path to actual playing time. The Jets signed a stop-gap starter in Geno Smith, a 35-year-old journeyman who has thrown 32 interceptions over the past two seasons. With a good summer, Klubnik could beat out Bailey Zappe and Brady Cook for the No. 2 job. And it’s not inconceivable the Jets could turn to Klubnik late in the season. It would be worth it to see what they have before diving headfirst into the QB-rich 2027 draft.
Purdy potential: It’s not crazy to think he’ll play at some point this season, but the overall situation with the Jets isn’t great. They do have a decent offensive line, though, and at least a few weapons. If injuries really were the issue last season, Klubnik could even play well. He’d have to show a lot, though, to convince the Jets to not draft another quarterback in the first round next year.
Klubnik is competing to be New York’s backup QB behind veteran Geno Smith, who has been named the starter. Along with Smith and Klubnik, the Jets’ QB room also includes Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe.
Formerly viewed as a potential first-round pick, Klubnik’s stock slipped substantially during a disappointing senior season in 2025, leading to his fall in the draft. Though his final college season did not go as he had hoped, he still 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), while posting a 26-14 record as a starter, concluding his career fifth in wins by a starting quarterback in school history.
