A native of Draper, Utah (situated roughly 30 miles north of BYU’s Provo campus), Zach Wilson appeared in nine games as a true freshman, wrestling the starting reins from incumbent Tanner Mangum about midway through the 2018 season. Wilson’s sophomore campaign was marred by injury but he didn’t show any ill effects the following year, breaking out for 33 touchdowns, 3,692 passing yards and a breathtaking 196.4 quarterback rating, ranking among the nation’s top-three in each category. The 6’2” gunslinger finished his BYU career in style, capping an 11-1 season with a five-touchdown (three passing, two rushing) masterpiece in his finale, earning Boca Raton Bowl MVP honors on the strength of a career-high 425 passing yards in the Cougars’ rout of Central Florida.
Measurables: 6’2”/214
School: BYU
2020 stats: 33 touchdown passes, three interceptions, 3,692 passing yards, 73.5 completion percentage, 11.0 yards per attempt, 70 carries, 254 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, 3.6 yards per carry, 11 sacks
Accolades: Davey O’Brien Award Finalist (2020), Manning Award Finalist (2020), Polynesian College Football Player of the Year (2020), Famous Idaho Potato Bowl MVP (2018), Hawaii Bowl MVP (2019), Boca Raton Bowl MVP (2020), three-star high-school recruit
Strengths: Cannon-armed with a lightning-quick release, Wilson can really sling it, excelling in play-action and no-huddle. Wilson can extend plays with his feet and, as he displayed at his recent Pro Day, has no qualms throwing on the run a la Patrick Mahomes or Russell Wilson. An electric scrambler with prototypical size for the position, there’s a certain swagger to Wilson’s game, often manifesting itself in daring, highlight-reel throws that few others would even attempt. The 21-year-old’s 73.5 completion percentage last season speaks to his improved accuracy.
Weaknesses: Wilson’s durability was a major talking point throughout the draft process. He underwent wrist and shoulder surgeries in 2019 and never looked right that season. Playing as an FBS independent, Wilson rarely faced top-level competition at BYU (Tennessee and USC were the only Power 5 opponents he beat during his time there), a fact some critics have held against him. Wilson can be quick to tuck and run and has sometimes struggled against pressure (this shortcoming was especially evident in last year’s loss to Coastal Carolina). A bit of a late bloomer, Wilson only produced one elite season at the college level.
NFL comparison: Josh Allen
Wilson has wheels and can throw it a mile, traits both reminiscent of Bills dual threat Josh Allen.
What experts are saying
“He possesses outstanding intangibles and his ability to quickly process information on and off the field is second to none in this year’s draft.” – Tony Pauline, Pro Football Network
“He’s an extremely confident pocket-passer who sees the field well, fires the ball out at the speed of sound and drops dimes to all three sectors of the field.” – Thor Nystrom, NBC Sports
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