At some point, the Los Angeles Rams have to begin thinking about who is going to be the future franchise quarterback once Matthew Stafford retires. Stafford has announced he’ll return in 2026, but the Rams would be wise to deploy some forward thinking by addressing the quarterback position before he hangs up his cleats.
This year’s incoming class of quarterback prospects is not drawing much excitement aside from Fernando Mendoza, who is expected to be the first overall pick. So while the Rams likely won’t be clamoring to select a quarterback in the first round, they could certainly do their homework on the signal-callers who could hear their name called in the other six rounds, which includes Cade Klubnik out of Clemson.
With some pre-draft events still set to take place, let’s dive into Klubnik’s college production and discuss his fit on the Rams to try to determine the likelihood of him landing in LA.
Background/college production
As a former five-star recruit in high school, Klubnik committed to Clemson in 2022. After operating as a backup in his freshman season, Klubnik started his final three seasons, with his best numbers stemming from the 2024 campaign when he completed 63.4% of his throws for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns, and only six interceptions.
Klubnik also flashed some rushing upside in 2024 with 463 rushing yards and seven rushing scores on 119 carries, though his rushing production took a massive dip in 2025, finishing with only 94 yards and four touchdowns on 83 attempts. Although Klubnik’s passing production also declined this past season, he did record the 16th-highest adjusted completion percentage (77.6%) and had the 17th-lowest pressure-to-sack rate (11.6%) among college quarterbacks with 200-plus dropbacks, per PFF.
How he fits the Rams
Sean McVay has primarily worked with quarterbacks like Jared Goff and Stafford — who are both limited in what they can do with their legs — during his tenure in Los Angeles. If the Rams want a quarterback who can excel out of structure and extend plays, Klubnik does possess more athleticism than his rushing numbers from 2025 indicate.
Klubnik does have an underwhelming arm, which limits his ability to make tight-window throws, and he’s shown some issues handling pressure in his face. That being said, the Rams and other teams could be interested in Klubnik due to his experience, and LA would be able to let the Clemson product sit behind Stafford until he’s ready to make his debut in the NFL.
Draft projection
Unless things drastically change in the pre-draft process, Klubnik is currently expected to be a late Day 2 or Day 3 selection in this year’s draft. Klubnik was shaping up to be a potential first-round pick after his 2024 season, but the issues he displayed over the past year or so have put a dent in his draft projection.
With the Rams possessing their own third-round pick, they could decide to take Klubnik then, especially with no fourth-round pick at the moment. Taking Klubnik in the third round seems a bit too rich, but the risk of selecting the Clemson signal-caller gets lowered if Los Angeles expresses interest in adding him in the fifth-to-seventh-round range.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams 2026 Draft Prospect Profile: Cade Klubnik (QB, Clemson)
Reporting by Skyler Carlin, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
