Former Clemson QB Cade Klubnik has found his NFL destination after the New York Jets selected him with the No. 110 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. However, the dream of making it to the pros came with a significant financial hit as teams passed on him in the first three rounds.

If he had been drafted in the middle of the first round, he would have secured a fully guaranteed contract worth $15 million to $25+ million. As the 110th pick, Klubnik is slotted for a four-year contract worth roughly $5.4 million total, with a 2026 cap hit around $1,194,339. That signals a massive financial gap between his peak value as a Tiger and as an NFL rookie.

After a strong 2024 campaign, Klubnik entered the 2025 season with a $3.4 million NIL valuation, placing him in the top 10 of all CFB athletes. On3 estimated his NIL market value at that amount, given his massive hype and high-profile brand deals. Compared to that, his earnings as a fourth-round NFL draft pick are a sharp $2.2M loss. But there is another layer to this story.

Following Clemson’s disappointing 1-3 start to the 2025 season under head coach Dabo Swinney, his valuation plummeted. By October 2025, his projected market valuation had dropped by over $1 million, down from nearly $2.1 million. If we compare it to his earnings as a fourth-round pick, it’s clearly visible that moving to the NFL cost him.

However, the Jets traded up with the Cincinnati Bengals to secure Klubnik, allowing him time to develop without immediate pressure to start, because current starting QB Geno Smith is locked in on a multi-year deal. Now, Klubnik is expected to compete with Brady Cook for the primary backup QB role in New York.

Although his valuation dropped during his final season at Clemson, Klubnik remained one of the most heavily endorsed and recognizable athletes in college sports. His performance with the Tigers backed that up, especially his breakout junior season. In 2024, he racked up 4,102 yards and 43 TDs, leading Clemson to a 10-4 record. That season, he also led the program to an ACC Championship and was named the ACC Championship Game MVP.

Cade Klubnik’s reaction to his selection

Despite last season’s performance drop, the Jets clearly wanted Cade Klubnik; they traded two fourth-round picks to the Bengals to move up 18 spots and secure him. Even the QB hoped to be selected by this team.

“I was really hoping for this,” said Klubnik to the Jets reporter. “I kind of woke up this morning thinking, ‘I hope the Jets kind of pick me.’ I had a feeling that they were going to pick me, at least.”

While 2025 performance with 2,943 yards and 16 TDs compared to his 2024 performance could be a concern, Klubnik took that drop as a lesson. “I figured out how to take a team that’s not winning and transform and go win games to finish with four straight wins at the end of the (regular season),” said Klubnik. “I’m a winner. I’m a competitor. I hate to lose. If we’re not winning, we’re going to find a way to win.”

Not only was the former Clemson QB confident about his NFL fate considering his four years at Clemson, but Swinney also had a belief in him. “I think he’s a higher-level talent than where he got drafted, so they’re getting great value,” said Swinney. “I think he’s a guy that has got a chance to be in the league for quite a while.”