The Jets were expected to draft a quarterback on Saturday, but who they drafted and the move they made to get the pick were shocking.
The Jets traded up to pick No. 110 overall in the fourth round to draft Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik.
The Jets gave up picks 128 and 140, both fourth-round picks, to get 110 and pick No. 199 in the sixth round from the Bengals.
Klubnik, 22, was the top high school player in the country in 2022 but never lived up to that billing at Clemson.
He played a lot of football, starting 40 games for the Tigers, but never seemed able to take the step people expected of becoming one of the top quarterbacks in the country and leading Clemson to championships.
His production dropped dramatically in 2025 when he threw 16 touchdowns after throwing 36 the year before.
The Tigers entered the season with national championship hopes but went a disappointing 7-6.
“I felt really good about Cade,” Jets general manager Darren Mougey said. “It started last year evaluating all those quarterbacks going into this year, we had good grades on him going in. Then this year, he got hurt early and was playing hurt much of the year, and that team struggled. But I was excited to get around him at the combine. He had a great combine interview, which sparked us to want to go down to Clemson and work him out. Being there on campus with him in the room, talking ball, it felt very natural. There was a connection. Getting on the field and doing the workout, he showed well.”
Klubnik said he had good predraft interactions with the Jets, including a private workout with offensive coordinator Frank Reich.
“I’m excited,” Klubnik said. “I’m a competitor and I love making people around me better. I’m excited to get in that room and go to work. I already told coach Reich: send me the playbook tonight. I’m excited to go show everybody who Cade Klubnik is. I think my best ball is still ahead of me.”
The selection of Klubnik was a shock because most draft rankings had him going later in the draft. Dane Brugler of The Athletic and Mel Kiper of ESPN had him as their No. 8 quarterback.
Scouts Inc. had him No. 11. He ended up being the fifth quarterback taken. LSU’s Grant Nussmeier was still on the board when the Jets took Klubnik.
The Jets did not only take Klubnik higher than anyone anticipated, they made a trade to jump 18 spots to take him.
“That means a lot,” Klubnik said of the Jets moving up to get him. “I don’t really know what else to say. It shows their interest in me and I was really hoping for this. I kind of woke up this morning thinking, ‘I hope the Jets pick me.’ I had a feeling they were going to pick me.”
Klubnik joins a quarterback room that has starter Geno Smith, Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe.
Klubnik figures to compete for the No. 2 job.
It is also possible that the Jets will add another veteran to that mix.
The 22-year-old Klubnik was a superstar at Westlake High School in Texas.
He went 34-0 as a starter and was twice named USA Today Offensive Player of the Year in Texas.
“My ability to make plays and put the offense in position to win games,” Klubnik said of his strengths. “My resilience to fight through anything. But I think my accuracy is where I make my money, being able to put the ball wherever I want to put it and find a way to win football games. Whether we’re down 17 points like we were my freshman year versus Syracuse or whatever the situation is, find a way to win and go be great.”