Why do the Jets Love Zach Wilson?
As the 2021 NFL draft quickly approaches us, Jets fans have been inquisitive as to who the Jets are going to draft. With starting quarterback Sam Darnold traded to the Carolina Panthers, this leaves the quarterback position wide open for grabs. Given that the New York Jets have the 2nd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, it is extremely likely that they will be drafting a quarterback, more specifically Zach Wilson.
Obviously, nothing is for certain when it comes to the draft until the final moment, and Roger Goodell has confirmed that “the pick is in.” But with so many other talented quarterbacks in the draft, such as Justin Fields, it seems to no surprise that the Jets want to go with Wilson.
Let’s take a look at why the Jets love Zach Wilson for the upcoming NFL Draft.
Zach Wilson:
Position: Quarterback
College: BYU
Year: Junior
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 210
Arm Talent
Wilson threw for 3,692 yards, 33 touchdowns, and threw only 3 interceptions! It is no doubt that Zach Wilson’s arm strength is absolutely elite. His arm strength is certainly his biggest strength, and he has a lot to show for it. His ability to use his arm like a slingshot enables him to showcase deep ball explosiveness. Whether he is in the pocket or running out of the pocket on a sideward angle, he uses his rocket of an arm to make big plays down the field and has been very successful in doing so.
If you are not a huge College Football fan and have not seen many Wilson Highlights click the link here, and you will see exactly how good his arm is.
Pure Athleticism
Many football analysts and former players have compared Zach Wilson to Aaron Rogers and Patrick Mahomes. Many believe this to be true because Zach Wilson is just blessed with God-given athletic ability that you cannot teach or learn. His ability to make off-balanced throws on the run is incredible. Not only that, but his ability to scramble out of the pocket and avoid big hits while running down the field and throwing 60-yard bombs is impressive.
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Opinion
This upcoming draft is going to be an interesting one, and it raises the question that too many Jets fans want the answer too: Is Zach Wilson the right quarterback for the Jets? It seems like this was a similar situation when the Jets drafted Mark Sanchez when they could have gotten Matt Stafford. Although Stafford isn’t necessarily a beast, his numbers and performance were way better than Sanchez’s, who lasted just a couple of seasons with the Jets before his NFL embarrassment of a career came to an end. Yeah, he gave us two AFC championships, but we could never close, so it really means nothing to me at this point…. And not to mention, that was a decade ago!
If maybe we had drafted Matt Stafford, who ranks 13th overall in NFL history with 33 game-winning drives, the Jets could be in a different situation right now. The Jets had the chance but did not take it. The Jets also had the chance to draft Josh Allen and instead, stuck with the USC natives. And, as we all know, that did not work out.
In fact, Sam Darnold threw 39 interceptions in 38 career games with the Jets and had a terrible couple of years with them, besides the occasional Robby Anderson bomb. So now, with Justin fields on the board, who had an outstanding season for the Buckeyes and also beat Trevor Lawrence, who is considered the next Payton Manning and generational talent in the college football playoffs, the Jets are still going to sit with Wilson?
I’m not saying that Wilson will have a bad career in the NFL, and I wish him the best, but the Jets have the chance to take Justin fields, who have more experience and awareness to the media due to constantly being under the spotlight in the playoffs. This hopefully would help Justin Fields acclimate to New York smoothly and handle the New York media. In fact, Kirk Herbstreit said during a conference call with reporters that:
“Justin Fields, to me, is exactly where the NFL is trending, as far as his physical skill set.
“I love his versatility. He can throw the ball downfield. He can throw the ball intermediately. He’s got the level concepts. And he can create off-platform very comfortably. So I don’t think you’re pigeonholed if you take him. I think what I just described covers a lot of offenses.”
Well, we can only wait and see how this draft ultimately plays out. As a Jets fan, I hope we get Fields at No.2 overall.
