Cade Klubnik looks the part.

I mean, that hair flow? Straight out of Sunshine in “Remember the Titans.”

After the NFL Rookie Premiere, where the fourth-round quarterback generated far more buzz than most Day 3 picks ever do, it’s easy to understand why excitement around the Clemson product continues to mount.

And yes, the first look at Klubnik in that No. 10 jersey most definitely had fans feeling nostalgic from the Chad Pennington days.

Simply from the airport test, Klubnik could be the Jets’ long-awaited quarterback of the future. However, despite the “visual intangibles” and the McCounaghey smooth Texas twang, “could” should be the operative word when we talk about Klubnik.

Jets fans are coping with any sort of hope

Ever since the aforementioned Pennington, the Jets have continued to search for that franchise QB.

“We Are Marshall?” More like “We Are Desperate.” Jets fans have been in a mentally abusive relationship for the past 15 years. Shattered seasons are end-capped with manipulative promises and hope for a new beginning.

Toxic relationships are the most difficult to get out of, but Aaron Glenn doesn’t want anyone to let go of that rope. Yet again, somehow that rope provides hope, and it came from David Bailey the weekend he and Klubnik were drafted.

Bailey put his best foot forward with those comments, but Jets fans have been there before. Words are words. No “all gas, no brake.” No “instant coffee league” excuses. The team needs to prove it with wins. Aaron Glenn’s job is on the line, meaning everybody’s job is on the line.

Little did fans know that the biggest buzz weeks later would be the quarterback the Jets traded up for in the fourth round, Klubnik, who came out of left field.

Frank Reich may not have been that fired up since he ousted the Oilers, but from a mainstream standpoint, Klubnik was far off fans’ radar, especially in the fourth round. Not until the aforementioned hair flow did they truly swoon. Thankfully, that 10-second Baywatch-type reel was swiftly followed up by something a little more tangible to the QB position. 

Klubnik is a leader

During the Jets’ rookie minicamp, Klubnik took hold of the playbook he had so readily wanted on that draft-day phone call and orchestrated impromptu rookie run-throughs in hotel hallways and conference rooms.

Command? Check. Leadership capability? Check. Looking the part while doing it? Definite check.

But how will all that translate on the dystopian turf of the homogenized MetLife Stadium?

Snoopy’s still sleeping on the top of the doghouse that Aaron Glenn is looking to get out of. Faith is put in Geno Smith, but optimism has embers with Cade.

Still, remember “Let Brady cook?” That was more like “Let Tim boil.” The Jets’ backup QB cabinet has been chock-full of bad Yelp reviews.

Sure, the Jets themselves are reportedly smitten with Klubnik. However, it’s only fair to yourself and Klubnik to temper expectations, at least for now.

Pump the brakes, Jets fans

Do you really want your heart broken again? Buffalo be damned, the Goo Goo Dolls want you to “Let Love In,” but you shouldn’t go “gah gah” until we see it unfold on the gridiron for Klubnik. In a perfect world, that would happen in Week 18 once the Jets clinch a home-field playoff spot, preserving Smith on the bench following a career-defining season.

Pragmatically, eight wins and an “in the hunt” graphic in December would quench the thirst for hope. That would likely mean Klubnik would never see the field, unless we encounter an age-reversed “Vinny Testaverde for Glenn Foley” situation.

The provocative catchphrase floating around Jets fandom has been “Chub For Klub,” but perhaps you folks keep it a little more classy and “Fade For Cade.” Focus on self-preservation, and you never know. We could finally see “Sunshine” on the horizon.

For now, though, Jets fans should stop searching for “Sunshine” and focus on the Titans standing on the opposing sideline in Week 1.