2021 NFL Draft: Ranking potential first-round quarterbacks with tiers

Wildcard Quarterbacks

In this year’s NFL Draft quarterback class there are two guys that stand out to a lot of teams and draft analysis that may a be high-risk type pick early in the draft. First, there is Zach Wilson, the BYU quarterback, that has flashed onto the scene as a potential high draft pick this year. There is a concern with him playing against low-end talent, similar to Jordan Love last year, but Wilson obtains a unique skill set that many teams might want to take a shot on in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Wilson has the ability to effectively roll out of the pocket and creates plays with his feet and also good enough arm strength and vision to stay in the pocket and deliver passes to his receivers. Zach Wilson is not flashy fast and will not beat many quicker defense players in a foot race but has nice mobile abilities and can make plays when he needs to.

Wilson is a quarterback who could be compared to a Dak Prescott, for his decent scrambling ability and good arm strength to make plays down the field. Wilson’s ability to make throws in unorthodox standings and angles is what makes him special and shows he has a lot of potential to play at the next level.

With a lot of praise for what he is doing on the field, where many have some concern is the quality of play he has faced at BYU. BYU is currently an Independent and does not play in a certain conference due to COVI-19, so the competition has not been one of SEC schools and other power five competitors. The same knock has been placed on the other quarterback in this tier of the 2021 NFL Draft quarterback class.

Trey Lance, the quarterback out of North Dakota State, is another guy who is a wild card in this year’s quarterback class. Lance, similar to Zach Wilson, has great ability to make plays with his feet and some would say is the most mobile quarterback in this year’s draft class. Lance is a physical prospect standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 226 pounds. Lance a great athlete with a lot of promise at the quarterback position, although playing in the FCS has had some worried if he is up for competition.

Trey Lance played only one game where he threw for 149 yards, two touchdowns, and a pick. Lance then decided to forgo the rest of the season to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft, which many prospects have done because of the current pandemic our country is in.

Even though we will not be able to watch Lance for the rest of the year his 2019 season was a special one where he threw for 2,786 yards, 28 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Lance has the talent to be an elite NFL quarterback and after the combine or guys deciding to go back for a year could rise in draft boards, but he still falls under the wild card tier for there is still a lot of questions to be asked before his name is called during the 2021 NFL Draft.