NFL mock draft 2021: Four quarterbacks in the top five, Watson stays put
Quarterback. BYU. 2. player. Pick Analysis. Zach Wilson. 30. Scouting Report
This second pick is where the 2021 NFL mock draft gets interesting. Will the New York Jets make a big move for Deshaun Watson? Would they be open to keeping Sam Darnold as their starting quarterback and going in a different direction with this second overall pick?
Here, the Jets are not able to land Watson, but Joe Douglas and his new coaching staff opt to take a stab at getting their own quarterback of the future. Zach Wilson from BYU has the upside to become one of the best quarterbacks in the league and possesses the tools that teams look for atop of the NFL draft.
Wilson proved to be one of the most electrifying players in college football last season. He may have the most talented and gifted arm in the 2021 NFL Draft and his ability to make plays off sequence is incredible.
Wilson is an impressive deep-ball thrower. He has the arm strength to launch it deep and the touch for it to be right on target every time. He makes it seem so easy, simply flicking his wrist on these bombs down the field from any platform.
Like many of the other top quarterback prospects in this draft, Wilson is a very effective runner. Whether QB draws, read options or broken plays, Wilson has impressed with his legs and has a nose for the end zone, racking up 10 rushing touchdowns this season in 12 games.
Douglas, new head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur should all love this pick. Douglas gets a chance to select “his guy” after inheriting Sam Darnold when he was hired in 2019. LaFleur gets one of the most talented passers in college football to mold into his creative offense, and the fiery leader of Saleh gets a guy at the helm that plays with a similar intensity.
For Wilson and the Jets, the swag and confidence that Wilson plays with that rub some people the wrong way may be exactly what he needs to succeed in a market like New York. Being drafted so high by a team like the Jets is a big challenge, and Wilson seems to have the attitude to embrace it.