It has been 14 years since a quarterback from BYU was selected in the NFL Draft. Zack Wilson would end that drought in 2021.
Not only will Wilson be the 12th former Cougars QB, but he will also be the most drafted as Hall of Famer Steve Young went to the Buccaneers overall in the 1984 supplemental draft. After Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence moved to the Jaguars No. 1 this year, Wilson is trying to become the second QB versus Board vs. Ohio State’s Justin Fields, North Dakota State’s Trey Lance and Alabama’s Mack Jones.
At 6-3, 210 pounds, Wilson boosted his stock with his game in 2020, showing off an accurate downfield arm to go with his plus athleticism. He also has the innate innards necessary to maximize his physical prowess in the NFL with his fearless, confident playing.
Wilson does the big upside with the style of play that most teams can accommodate. Here are most of the possible landing locations, starting from the position just behind the Jaguar:
MORE NFL DRAFT: SN’s latest 2021 mock | Big Board of Top 100 Prospects
Jach wilson mock draft
1. New York Jets (No. 2)
Will the Jets take Sam Darnold to number 3 in 2018? This is one of the biggest mysteries of this draft and will have a profound impact on the rest of the first round. If any question about Darnold is tapped into his talent at a high level, Wilson should be selected for New York.
The Jets are starting afresh with Adam Gasey and Kyle Shanahan has added Mike LaFleur (Packers coach Matt’s brother) to the offense under Robert Saleh. They could use a more mobile presence with a bigger hand, given how the 49ers, Packers and Titans have operated with plans contiguous to the running game. Wilson is well versed in well-spread concepts, but is most attractive because of his ability to move around and get accurate throws.
The left tackle was addressed last year with a first rounder at Mekhi Becton. The Jets invested in wide receiver Corey Davis (a former Titan) and Keilan Cole in free agency to pair up with slot ace Jamison Crowder and second-year second-round speedster Denzel Mims. Those moves could have been made to try to lift Darnold, but as a chance the Jets drafted him to Wilson.
Should the Jets keep Wilson on and pass, it’s a good bet that Pick Oregon will feature Penny Seawell as a young bookend complementing Bacon.
2. Denver Broncos (No. 9)
The Broncos are still handling their offense under Pat Shurmur and have made it clear that they have not sold on Drew Lock. He should play for Fields, Lance and Wilson, depending on how the draft moves quickly. Shurmur needs better mobility, more reliable accuracy and quick decision making for execution in its system. New GM George Patton is also locked in Wilson’s impressive skill set.
The geography of where Wilson played college football is a small factor, but one big fact is that his ceiling is under-estimated, which may be as high as Chief Patrick Mahomes. It also stars Justin Herbert of some Chargers in how Wilson plays. Given that the two AFC West rivals are passersby, the Broncos sit at the level of lock play difficult. Wilson may need to get Carolina ahead – between pick No 5 and No 7 – but it could be worth it for Denver.
3. San Francisco 49ers (No. 12)
Young was drafted by the Bucs prior to his stint in the USFL, but who is known as the supersub of Joe Montana as the Athletic Super Bowl winning successor in San Francisco. The 49ers cannot be ruled out trading for some more BYU gold this year.
Shawn’s influence is heavy on LaFleurs, so Wilson may find it special to work with the source to replace Jimmy Garrappolo and take the offense to a level, even though watching Matt Ryan’s 2016 season of 2016 Happened. Wilson will be a fast-learning man and will make good use of his unique trio of downfield weapons – tight end George Kightel and wide receivers Debo Samuel and Brandon Ayuk. The zone running game will also be compatible with impressive play-action and bootleg opportunities.
4. Atlanta Falcons (No. 4)
The Falcons are also difficult to read in relation to quarterbacks in the draft. They are tied with Ryan for another season, but there is a sign of some physical decline for offensive-minded coach Arthur Smith to think about stopping his successor, who followed Matt LaFleur in coordination with the Titans. It was no coincidence that Atlanta paid Shahanhas a semi-related fare.
The power running game should return with more emphasis for the Falcons with the down-loading game. Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley stopped playing it, how the Titans were explosive with Ryan Tannehill. Wilson’s precision and athleticism combination is guaranteed to work well for Smith.
If Wilson gets past and considers the Dolphins with Tua Tagovelloa, don’t go QB at No. 3, the Falcons would be sitting pretty for Wilson, a better option for him than Lance.
5. Carolina Panthers (No. 8)
The Panthers do not want another year of Teddy Bridgewater serving as a limited bridge quarterback. Whether it is Wilson, Lance or Fields still available, they all carry high-enough upside to strong consideration.
Should the Jets pass at QB and the Falcons take on Lance instead, there is a good chance the Panthers will get Wilson from being in the fields. In that case, the Broncos could recover with Fields and not look for the Panthers to jump. The 49ers can also avoid trading and are fine for No. 12 Jones.
The Panthers’ best two picks for Joe Brady’s offense under Matt Rhode would be Wilson and Lance in that order. Brady chose Joe Burrow at LSU, given his great stint with 2020 No. 1, he should see some of the same potential in Wilson and push for the likes. The Panthers have the support of offensive skills for Wilson that will succeed sooner rather than later.
6. New England Patriots (Number 15)
The Patriots have been attached to every top quarter in this draft for good reasons. Cam Newton has only been re-signed for a year and is coming from an unstable first season as a passerby in New England. It is unknown whether Bill Belichick will be aggressive enough to trade for one of the first-round fives, or simply hope that at least Jones comes on his team.
Wilson seems suited to accommodate any plan due to his high floor of hard-to-teach. He may well be molded to the intricacies of the Patriots scheme with Josh McDanels and ready for a true breakout in Year 2.
There is a dropoff for other top QBs from Lawrence, but Wilson then hits the sweet spot after having a considerable bounce with the smallest bust factor. Although it goes down, it would be surprising if Wilson did not last long before the end of the top 10.
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