BYU quarterback Zach Wilson goes to the Jets as the No. 2 pick in Thursday’s NFL draft

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The wait is over — Zach Wilson is officially a Jet.

The New York Jets selected the former BYU quarterback with the second overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft in Cleveland, on Thursday night.

“There’s not another team I want to play for besides the Jets,” Wilson told the NFL Network. “So, I’m going to give it everything I have and we’re going to be a special team, baby. We’re going for the Super Bowl.”

The festivities bring to an end one of the biggest surprises and most polarizing athletes throughout the draft season. After all, a year ago, Wilson wasn’t considered an NFL draft pick — he was fighting for the starting job in Provo.

Wilson played three seasons for the Cougars, but he needed only one to catch the eyes of NFL scouts and coaches. The Draper native showed a glimmer of what was to come his freshman year, when he became the youngest freshman quarterback to start for BYU and finished the season with a perfect Potato Bowl game, but struggled with injuries his sophomore year.

However, Wilson loves a good competition.

Knowing he’d have to prove to be the best man for the starting gig, going up against Jaren Hall and Baylor Romney, Wilson took advantage of the constant curve balls the pandemic threw at him. Wilson made multiple trips — mostly by way of 10-hour, one-way road trips — to Southern California, where he trained with former BYU quarterback John Beck at 3DQB.

The time off was beneficial to Wilson, who was able to focus solely on his training.

Then he came back to Provo and helped led the Cougars to their best season in more than a decade. BYU finished 2020 with an 11-1 record, while Wilson threw for 3,692 yards and 33 touchdowns and added 254 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns.

The Corner Canyon High School product finished his BYU career having played 30 games and started 28. He completed 566 of 837 passes for 7,652 yards and 56 touchdowns with a 162.91 efficiency rating. Wilson added 212 rushing attempts for 642 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Wilson also collected a handful of postseason honors following the 2020 season: Pro Football All-America Second Team, Phil Steele All-America honorable mention, Co-Polynesian College Player of the Year and No. 8 in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Wilson was also a Manny Award Finalist, Walter Camp Player of the Year Semifinalist, Maxwell Award Semifinalist and Davey O’Brien Semifinalist in 2020.

Wilson finished the 2020 season ranked No. 2 nationally in points responsible for (264), passing efficiency (196.4) and completion percentage (73.5); No. 3 in passing yards (3,692), passing touchdowns (33), yards per pass attempt (10.99) and points responsible for per game (22.0); No. 4 in rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (10); No. 5 in passing yards per completion (14.95); No. 8 in total offense (328.8); and No. 10 in passing yards per game (307.7).

By the end of the season, Wilson had also broken the BYU record, previously held by Steve Young, for completion percentage — completing 73.5 percent of his passes in 2020.

While Wilson set the record for highest drafted BYU player ever, it almost didn’t happen.

With a former Utah defensive lineman as a father, Wilson grew up a die-hard Utes fan. But Utah passed on Wilson, leading the under-recruited quarterback to sign with Boise State.

But then he changed his mind and Wilson instead signed with BYU.

The rest is history.

Now, Wilson is no longer being looked over. He’s center stage with all lights on him. But he still has plenty to prove — to himself and to others. That story is only beginning.

This story will be updated.



from The Salt Lake Tribune https://ift.tt/32YaN4R
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