Zero or one? Choose the most impressive number.
If a quarterback is judged for wins and losses, there is no 17-0 record for Trey Lance in the state of North Dakota. If victories belong to the team, an interception of 318 career passes speaks to individual talent.
When NFL scouts and executives evaluate college quarterbacks, two of the most important questions asked are: Is he a winner? Do you care about the ball? Lance was perfect and almost perfect to tick those respective boxes and will now show off his other skills Friday at North Dakota State Professional Day, facing a contingent that will include Jets general manager Joe Douglas.
“Only 17 games as a starter are hard to move and the level of competition wasn’t great,” ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller told The Post. “But I thought it made everyone in the field better when they were there. I love his game. “
Lance is one of five quarterbacks that could be taken within the top 15 picks in the 2021 NFL Draft. He has been connected with the Falcons, Panthers, Broncos, 49ers and Patriots and could be a viable option for the Jets, especially if they returned to number 2.
Outside of Trevor Lawrence’s alleged No. 1, Lance could be the greenest, most athletic, and long-term top roof in the group. In other words, it requires the most projective Scouting, patience and quality training.
“I was able to see Bill Belichick have a lot of fun with a guy like Trey Lance,” NFL network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “The only thing that would hold me back is that I don’t know if he will be ready to do it immediately. But when you talk to people in the state of North Dakota, this guy is incredibly smart, which we know the Patriots have always given a bonus. ”
Lance dressed in red in 2018, won a national FCS championship in 2019 and played a game in the fall before the state of North Dakota moved its football season to spring. He entered the NFL draft instead of going back to school and possibly became No. 1 overall pick in 2022.
Lack of experience suggests that your next team may need to install a “Lance Package” for specialized use as a novice. Lance is compared to Miller’s Lamar Jackson and Jeremiah’s Steve McNair.
“It’s not as fast as Lamar,” Miller said, “but if you think about how it could be used early: deep ball passes, use it as a runner and on drag trails below where you can spread your pocket and keep things open longer, I think you can excel that way ”.
All eyes will be on Lance’s 40-yard throw time, which is expected to register the elite 4.5 seconds. Where Jackson runs fast, Lance has power, like McNair.
“He would be hit by a 4-yard line defender and headed for the end zone – and you see the same with Trey Lance,” Jeremies said. “The two boys came from a lower level of competence, both were dominant at that level. Look at the arms of power to be able to drive football across the field. You see guys your teammates really grab [them]. I just think there are a lot of similarities between the two. “