By WFAN.com
The Jets are counting on Sam Darnold to be the end of the line in their decadeslong search for a franchise quarterback.
Gang Green used the third overall pick in the NFL draft Thursdsay night on the USC quarterback.
The 6-foot-3, 221-pound Darnold passed for 4,143 yards in 14 games last season while completing 63.1 percent of his passes. He tossed 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Darnold's strengths include his size, pocket presence and accuracy. The biggest concern about Darnold in scouting reports was his relatively high turnover rate.
"I'm taking it head on," Darnold told reporters in a conference call. "I'm a pretty confident guy and I'm really comfortable in my own skin, so I'm going to go in there, do my thing and do what the coaches ask me to do -- and do that at the highest level."
Jets coach Todd Bowles said of Darnold: "I like his competitiveness. Obviously, all the quarterbacks compete, but the biggest thing you really don't see is he has an inner desire and drive. ... And once you get to know Sam -- and we spent some time around him -- everything in his personality really came out and along with his drive. And obviously his accuracy -- we really like that about him."
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The Jets sent three second-round picks to the Indianapolis Colts last month in order to move up from No. 6 to No. 3 and position themselves to select one of the top quarterbacks in the draft.
"I would say simply we felt very good ... about three players with that pick," general manager Mike Maccagnan said Thursday night. "So we never felt we had to cross our fingers and hope two of the three would be there."
The Jets, who are coming off back-to-back 5-11 seasons, suddenly have a crowded quarterback room. Last year's starter, Josh McCown, was re-signed, and the team added former Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater in free agency. Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg are also still on the roster.
"I think whatever the coaches want me to do, whether they want me to sit or they want me to play, I'm going to start in my role," Darnold told ESPN. "That's what I've been doing my whole life, and I'm not going to do anything different."
The Jets haven't had a true franchise quarterback since they waived Joe Namath in 1976. The previous time they drafted a quarterback in the first round was 2009, when they used the fifth overall pick on Mark Sanchez, who coincidentally was also from USC.
