Cade Klubnik
New York JetsOur College Grade
How good he was in college at what his position is supposed to do, out of 100. Scored against everyone else at his position, adjusted for the level he played at. This is not his NFL grade.
College Production
Clemson · ACC
| Season | G | Att | Cmp | Yds | TD | INT | Pos Rk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 8 | 106 | 61 | 656 | 2 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 13 | 478 | 286 | 2,756 | 15 | 3 | 85 |
| 2024 | 14 | 510 | 307 | 3,488 | 34 | 5 | 6 |
| 2025 | 12 | 394 | 255 | 2,936 | 14 | 5 | 48 |
The seasons in our college data. It does not always reach back to a player's first year.
Scouting Report
Clemson · 2026 draft class
Cade Klubnik entered Clemson as a five-star recruit from Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, and spent his true freshman campaign as the Tigers' backup quarterback before replacing DJ Uiagalelei in the 2022 ACC Championship Game and leading Clemson to a blowout victory over Drake Maye-led North Carolina. That performance sent Uiagalelei to the transfer portal and handed Klubnik the reins for 2023. His sophomore season underwhelmed at 9-4, snapping Clemson's streak of 12 straight double-digit win seasons and raising questions about whether he could lead the program back to championship contention. Klubnik answered those doubts emphatically as a junior in 2024, ranking 10th nationally with 3,639 passing yards and third with 36 passing touchdowns against just six interceptions while adding 463 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground. His 43 total touchdowns marked the highest for a Clemson quarterback since Trevor Lawrence notched 45 in 2019. The athletic signal-caller showed elite touch on loft passes and fades while excelling in the RPO game with excellent field vision and operation time. Clemson won the ACC Championship and made the College Football Playoff, finishing 10-4. Heading into his senior season, Klubnik ranks in the top five of numerous Clemson passing statistics and carries polarizing draft evaluations from NFL scouts.
Strengths
- Excellent athlete with quick hands and feet who excels in RPO game with clear field vision and one-motion ball delivery
- Elite touch thrower who anticipates well and throws soft
- catchable ball - particularly excels on fades to slot and outside receivers
- Mobility allows offense to move pocket on rollouts with ability to deliver accurately moving right or left
- Toughness to fight for extra yards on designed QB rushes
- popped game-winner vs Pitt with physical running style
- Massive improvement trajectory from disappointing sophomore (9-4) to breakout junior (10-4
- ACC title
- CFP berth) demonstrates coachability
- Elite ball placement metrics with 28 big-time throws in 2024 (5th in FBS per PFF)
Concerns
- Severely undersized at 204-210 pounds
- looks flimsy in pocket and goes down too easily when contacted by pass rushers
- Lacks lower-body strength to shrug off defenders and struggles to consistently find open throwing lanes when sliding inside pocket
- Arm strength not overpowering
- leading to shrinking windows on drive throws - needs to get into legs more on delivery to generate velocity
- Struggles significan'tly when facing pressure - indecisive and takes too long to make decisions within offensive framework
- Polarizing prospect among NFL scouts with solid/average traits across the board but no dominant skill to separate him from QB class
- Day 3 projection per AFC East scout who called him "average" with "OK arm
- OK processing speed
- way too overhyped" after watching live
Honors
Five-star recruit (247Sports); ACC Championship (2024); 43 total TDs (most for Clemson QB since Trevor Lawrence's 45 in 2019); Top 5 in numerous Clemson passing statistics