The Jets did not draft a franchise quarterback this year, but they did not give Geno Smith a free path to the starting job either.
General manager Darren Mougey and Co. traded up Saturday to take Clemson’s Cade Klubnik 110th overall in the fourth round, sending the 128th and 140th picks to Cincinnati.
Klubnik, who played four years in the ACC, finished his college career with over 10,000 yards.
He measures 6-foot-2, 207 pounds, though his draft stock declined in 2025.
Klubnik, however, still heard his name called before LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and Vanderbilt’s polarizing Diego Pavia, a Heisman Trophy finalist.
The Jets need to sort out their long-term quarterback situation, having brought Smith back to New York as a short-term solution in a trade with the Raiders last month.
They declined to do so, though, with any of their first-round picks, instead taking edge rusher David Bailey second overall, tight end Kenyon Sadiq 16th and wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. 30th.
Klubnik seems to be the compromise option.
The Jets can go into training camp with Smith as the likely No. 1, Klubnik as the presumed backup and a general assumption that they will look to find a franchise signal-caller in 2027.
A year from now, of course, is when a quarterback class that could include Arch Manning, along with Dante Moore, Julian Sayin, LaNorris Sellers and Brendan Sorsby, will be available in the draft.
Sticking with a bridge solution at QB also buys Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn some time after a putrid first year in charge.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
