Zach Wilson ruffled feathers when he showed up late to Jets training camp this summer (the result of a brief contract dispute), but he’s been a man possessed since his arrival, dominating in his two preseason appearances (137.1 passer rating) while showing arguably the most polish of any quarterback in this year’s rookie class. While Wilson may not have faced the toughest competition during his three-year stint at BYU (the Cougars are an FBS independent), he did have the benefit of playing in a pro scheme under coach Kalani Sitake, which has made his adjustment easier relative to other QBs coming from spread and option-style offenses.
But what’s really stood out is the 22-year-old’s level of preparation with coach Robert Saleh calling his prized pupil “light years ahead of normal rookies” in that regard. “If it was the other way around and he was struggling, he'd be getting torched," said Saleh, referring to the New York media’s famously unflinching coverage of its sports teams. "The fact that he's going out there and absolutely dissecting these defenses, I think is a testament to him.”
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Many accused NBC analyst Chris Simms of hyperbole when he compared Wilson (who he considered the top prospect, quarterback or otherwise, in this year’s draft) to Patrick Mahomes, lauding his decision-making, pocket presence, elite scrambling ability and knack for the spectacular, routinely completing highlight-reel throws few others would even attempt. Wilson’s presentation (The Dan Le Batard Show joked that he looks like “an ad for an SAT prep course”) and perceived cockiness could rub some the wrong way, but clearly the second overall pick is putting in the work.
“We're really, really excited about him,” Saleh stressed to ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “Sometimes the result on game day is going to be phenomenal, sometimes it's going to be a big dud. But we trust that those duds are going to be fewer and farther in between."
The 6’2” gunslinger has even caught the eye of reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers, who liked what he saw from Wilson during joint practices last week. “That kid can throw the heck out of that ball,” the Packers veteran marveled in comments to Tyler Calvaruso of Yahoo Sports. “I'm so excited for what he can do in this league."
We’ll see what Wilson brings to the table in his NFL debut against the Panthers—led by former Jets Sam Darnold and Robby Anderson—two weeks from Sunday.
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