​Former Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik played in his second NFL preseason game on Friday night, going 10-for-14 with 75 yards in the New York Jets’ 17-0 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also had a very nice 16-yard scramble.Yes, Klubnik was sacked a couple of times, and while that could sometimes be the fault of the quarterback for holding on to the ball for too long, that wasn’t the case here.And yet, in spite of the fact that Klubnik didn’t turn the ball over and actually looked pretty sound playing with the Jets’ backups, he faced some criticism on social media after the game.Some lamented the fact that New York punted on all three of Klubnik’s drives. Others stated that Steelers rookie signal-caller Drew Allar — who went in the third round of the NFL Draft, one round ahead of Klubnik — has looked better.This in spite of the fact that Klubnik was playing with no weapons and a horrific offensive line in front of him … and still managed to be respectable.So what are we really doing here?New York Jets quarterback Cade Klubnik. Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images.I understand that New York is a tough market, and the Jets haven’t had a decent quarterback since … Chad Pennington? Maybe? But the hand-wringing is pretty ridiculous for a Day 3 rookie who has gone 15-for-21 with 131 yards and no turnovers over his first couple of exhibition contests.Klubnik had a storied career at Clemson. He arrived in 2022, became the full-time starter in 2023, put together a brilliant year in 2024 and then took a massive step back in 2025. That fourth-year malaise resulted in Klubnik’s draft stock plummeting, which was why the Jets were in position to trade up and nab him in Round 4 to begin with.But how soon we forget that Klubnik was so good during his junior campaign that he was viewed by some as a potential No. 1 overall pick entering his senior season. Heck, had he entered the 2025 NFL Draft, he would have been a first-round selection.Klubnik was inconsistent at Clemson. There is no doubt about that. But he showed flashes of brilliance, with a solid arm and terrific athleticism. His processing is certainly questionable, and he did make some glaring mistakes at inopportune times.But he’s also just 22 years old and needs time to grow. And if we’re being honest, he isn’t exactly playing for a cornerstone NFL franchise.The fact that Klubnik has managed to be decent over his first couple of preseason showings is actually impressive given how rough this Jets squad actually is, especially without key weapons like running back Breece Hall and tight end Kenyon Sadiq.It’s wholly unfair to cast aspersions on Klubnik based on what we’ve seen thus far. If anything, we should be encouraged by his early results.