Jets rookie QB Cade Klubnik receives high praise from unlikely source

It was never a question of if, but when the New York Jets were going to select a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft. In the fourth round, they eventually landed on Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik in the early fourth round, trading up to land him.

Despite there being initial questions about the value of the draft pick, the early returns on Klubnik have been strong to say the least.

At rookie minicamp, The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt said Klubnik was dealing during open field workouts, throwing ropes to his fellow rookie wide receivers. He even organized a walkthrough at the hotel the youngsters were staying at, displaying strong leadership skills.

Klubnik has a chance to win the Jets backup job behind Geno Smith, and he seems to be getting his flowers from all over the place, including one unlikely source.

Skip Bayless believes there's 'upside' with Jets rookie QB Cade Klubnik

Former ESPN and Fox Sports talking head Skip Bayless had high praise for the Jets' new quarterback and even compared him to Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix.

Now, Bayless is by no means a quarterback expert, and his words should be taken with a grain of salt. He once thought Greg McElroy was the answer under center for New York long ago, but the excitement surrounding Klubnik remains palpable.

"I see a little Bo Nix in him. They're cut from the same cloth to me, just a little bit...they're both 6-foot-2. Bo's a little stouter, like a little thicker maybe...But listen, Cade Klubnik throws it pretty well. I mean, I would say his arm is above average. I'm not going to say it's Justin Herbert, but it always looked pretty good to me. "

Skip Bayless

If Klubnik can prove he can play on a level close to Nix, he would be a shoo-in for the Jets backup quarterback job.

As things stand right now, with Russell Wilson still mulling retirement or a career in broadcasting, there doesn't seem to be a veteran quarterback on the way to give New York some stability behind Smith.

That leaves Klubnik to compete with the likes of Bailey Zappe and Brady Cook for QB2, and considering the latter two have never been all that impressive, the Clemson product has a fairly good shot of winning the competition.

It will be an interesting one to watch throughout the summer, but Klubnik is already beginning to separate himself from the rest of the pack.

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