Future Watch: Zach Wilson Should Be The Second Player Off The Board – Zach Wilson seems destined to play in the Big Apple for the New York Jets. If everything goes to plan, the Jets will select him with the second overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
This quarterback first starred at Corner Canyon High School in Draper, Utah. As a senior, he threw for 2,986 yards with 24 touchdowns. Wilson rushed for 752 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.
Wilson first committed to Boise State University and then ended up at Brigham Young University, where his dad played football as well. The family is long-time season ticket holders, so that seemed like a natural fit. In three seasons at BYU, Wilson completed 67.6% of his passes with 7,652 yards and 56 touchdowns with just 15 interceptions. His 15 rushing touchdowns didn’t go unnoticed, that’s a component that most modern-day quarterbacks have even though teams want them to stay in the pocket for the majority of the games they play.
There is no shortage of hype for this prospect. As a longtime fan of Gang Green, I like what I see in the 6-2, 214-pound passer. Wilson has a strong arm that he showed off at his pro day. He can throw on the run, and the arm strength seems to be above average.
Last season his longest touchdown was 58 yards. Wilson will be encouraged to get stronger, not only because the Jets offensive line is in a state of flux, but also for the rigors of a now 17-game NFL season. Wilson should be able to transition to the NFL in a timely manner, but the question is how long will that take? His alma mater didn’t play the toughest schedule, so there will be a learning curve that will start to take place the day after his name is called at the draft.
NFL.com compares Wilson to longtime quarterback Jake Plummer. Plummer used to throw a lot of interceptions, way more than the average NFL quarterback of today. This is why I don’t like comparables in any sport. Wilson will carve his own path, learn at his own pace, and hopefully won’t have to answer too many questions about Joe Namath and what he knows about him and the last time the Jets won a Super Bowl.
Wilson will start a new era in Jets football. He has a chance to own the city if he has success. The Giants are the most popular team, but they’re not a great team at the moment, so there’s a chance to propel the team in the news and on the gridiron. He will be a hobby star. He has a Polynesian background, so there could be a lot of attention drawn to that, as well as his play on the field.
Pro Football Focus has the best stat on him. Wilson had a 0.0 turnover-worthy play rate when pressured last season. Jets fans have to like those odds.
Future Watch: Zach Wilson Should Be The Second Player Off The Board
| Passing | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | AY/A | TD | Int | Rate |
| *2018 | Brigham Young | Ind | FR | QB | 9 | 120 | 182 | 65.9 | 1578 | 8.7 | 9.2 | 12 | 3 | 157.2 |
| *2019 | Brigham Young | Ind | SO | QB | 9 | 199 | 319 | 62.4 | 2382 | 7.5 | 6.9 | 11 | 9 | 130.8 |
| *2020 | Brigham Young | Ind | JR | QB | 12 | 247 | 336 | 73.5 | 3692 | 11.0 | 12.6 | 33 | 3 | 196.4 |
| Career | Brigham Young | 566 | 837 | 67.6 | 7652 | 9.1 | 9.7 | 56 | 15 | 162.9 | ||||
Future Watch: Zach Wilson Should Be The Second Player Off The Board – Resources
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