Former Top QB Prospect Projected to Land with Carolina Panthers

ESPN NFL writer Ben Solak is at it again, and he’ll explain. “It’s NFL draft season. Have you read enough mock drafts yet? They're like multivitamins this time of year—you need your daily dose. The mock I have for you today is different, though. Instead of focusing on a round or a team, I'm focusing on a position: quarterback.”

“I tried to find the ideal landing spot for every single draftable quarterback in this 2026 class across all seven rounds—within the constraints of realism, of course. And I attempted to find a happy medium between scheme/system fit, team need and total draft capital, and I was mindful of both short- and long-term team-building horizons.”

Clemson QB Cade Klubnik would be a worthwhile addition for Carolina

Solak looked at nine different prospects, including Clemson University quarterback Cade Klubnik. He has the Carolina Panthers choosing the 6’2”, 207-pound signal-caller in the sixth round with the 200th overall selection.

“The Panthers traded away their longtime QB2 and valuable spot starter Andy Dalton this past offseason,” explained Solak, “leaving only Kenny Pickett behind Bryce Young. As such, I could see them adding a QB2 candidate much earlier than the sixth round. But I’ll stick with the late-drafted, (relatively) local kid in Clemson product Klubnik.

“An ex-five-star recruit,” added Solak, “Klubnik has a great arm with solid throwing mechanics. His best throws come on his deep ball, which he can also deliver well on the move, and his quick up-field stride takes a lot of linebackers by surprise. Klubnik is a classic “give a receiver a chance” sort of quarterback—he’ll hang a lot of catchable balls on high trajectory throws, and his accuracy falls off when forced to drive breaking routes between windows.”

Cade Klubnik looks to bounce back after a disappointing season

The talented performer comes off a shaky 2025 after what was a breakout campaign the previous year. In a dozen games this past season, he connected on an impressive 65.6 percent of his throws but for only 2,943 yards and 16 touchdowns—with six interceptions—in a dozen games. In 14 outings in 2024, the completion percentage was slightly lower (63.4), but the talented prospect threw for 3,639 yards and 36 TDs, again with only six picks.

“Klubnik would benefit from supersized receivers like Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker (a big slot),” stated Solak, “as they’re able to win downfield with boxout positioning. He isn’t a one-to-one style fit to Young, but having a backup who plays similarly to the starter is an overrated advantage. When Klubnik plays on time, he reminds me of Dalton, who didn’t play much like Young anyway.”

Head coach Dave Canales can be a quarterback’s best friend

“Struggles with timing and anticipation have marred Klubnik’s film at times,” added Solak, “but coach Dave Canales has historically succeeded at getting quarterbacks (Geno Smith, Baker Mayfield) to play a quicker brand of football. The marriage could work for Klubnik as a rookie contract backup.”

As previously mentioned, Young and Pickett are currently the only quarterbacks on Carolina’s roster. Panthers’ general manager Dan Morgan has seven picks at his disposal and it makes perfect sense that the team would add a third sometime during the draft.

Young and Canales — Dec 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales greets quarterback Bryce Young (9) after a win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Finally, don’t dismiss Solak’s assessment of Canales, who has done a great job with Young in their two seasons together in Charlotte.