Sabo Radio recaps the New York Jets’ free agency haul and explains why Zach Wilson is the right choice over Justin Fields and Sam Darnold.
I get it; nobody knows how this thing will transpire over time. If Joe Douglas makes Zach Wilson the next New York Jets quarterback, the odds are against him.
When thinking about quarterback bust rates—especially top-10 quarterbacks—the safe bet is against the BYU stud. When thinking about the Jets’ quarterback history, the safe bet turns into a near-lock.
Why would any sane human predict terrific things for Wilson’s professional football future?
Well, simply put, the film says a lot about transferrable skills.
What Wilson showcased on tape in 2020 is nothing short of translatable perfection. His anticipation is off the charts. Something that’s tough for collegiate quarterbacks to master, obvious anticipation (throwing wide receivers open) is something that usually carries over phenomenally.
Secondly, he’s the perfect modern-era quarterback. The kid can operate from the pocket as well as outside of structure. Off-platform, off-schedule and anything in between is an area Wilson shines.
In conjunction with his anticipation, Wilson’s velocity variety is outstanding. Not everything that leaves his right hand is a fastball. He seems to feature the correct amount of touch for each throw.
Why Wilson should get the nod over Justin Fields is the current debate right now in Jets land, now that Sam Darnold is in Carolina. For Fields—and Trevor Lawrence—the unknown is what stands out most.
NFL talent evaluators are tremendous at what they do, but no scout in history has ever been able to predict a kid’s future to perfection. Both Fields and Lawrence enjoyed situations at their respective colleges that create more unknowns than the kid from BYU.
For instance, all this “Fields can’t progress to his second read” talk is a legitimate conversation thanks to the unknown. He simply didn’t have to progress to No. 2 much at Ohio State. Neither did Lawrence if we’re being completely honest.
Play: 👉 the Jet X Offseason Simulator
Both systems heavily lean collegiate, which means a ton of RPOs were thrown into the mix and the primary target usually found his way open. For that, unknowns are created. It’s not that Fields can’t progress; it’s that not everybody is sure he can.
Why Wilson is the right choice in favor of Darnold has been highlighted too many times to count. A terrific argument for keeping Darnold and trading down from No. 2 existed, but the benefits of a rebuilding team operating while its quarterback is playing on his rookie contract have repeatedly been proven over the last decade—since the rookie wage scale came into play.
Douglas was a first-hand witness to the Baltimore Ravens’ 2012 championship that was built while Joe Flacco played under his rookie deal. He also experienced the Philadelphia Eagles’ lone Super Bowl victory in 2017 when Carson Wentz was on his rookie terms.
In the end, the Jets decided to reset everything to match the incoming coaching staff.
Everything Zach Wilson, Sam Darnold trade, free agency recap, and a look at the New York Jets depth chart after a seven-round mock draft is included in the latest edition of Sabo Radio.
