Jets Trade Up for QB Klubnik: Smart Depth Move

On April 26, Jets made waves at the end of the 2026 NFL Draft, trading up in the 4th round to snag Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik.

Analysts from SNY and the Athletic broke it down right from the Jets facility in Florm Park, calling it a solid grab for their quarterback room.

This draft class lacked standout signal callers overall, pushing teams to reach early.

Klubnik stood out as the best available to the Jets, even if the trade cost the 4th round pick.

Other quarterbacks like Cole Payton followed later, with Taylin Green going in the 6th and Garrett Newsmeyer, not until the late 7th, fans and experts had mixed takes last year on similar moves, like drafting Aaron Smith, who didn't stick.

But here, Connor Hughes and Zach Rosenblatt don't hate to pick it all. They see it as smart depth over chasing a raw phenom.

The vibe is long-term backup potential, not starter material.

In a thin class, it locks in a cheap option for years without overcommitting early rounds.

Jets for an office went, get what they wanted, and in this market, that backup ceiling could pay off big down the line.