The Jets quarterback plan focused more on Friday through developments in Utah, California and Pennsylvania.
A Jets contingent from general manager Joe Douglas, head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur saw BYU quarterback Zach Wilson pitch an entire indoor hut in Provo, Utah, as part of the school’s professional day . Wilson is the favorite to be the team’s No. 2 overall pick and did nothing to change that perception in his pitching session.
The biggest stories came from what other teams in the quarterbacks market did on Friday afternoon. First, the 49ers negotiated with the Dolphins to rise to No. 3 in next month’s 2021 NFL draft. The assumption is that the 49ers go up to draft a quarterback.
ESPN reported that the 49ers and Jets did not participate in any commercial talks, but that may be because the 49ers already knew the Jets were willing to take Wilson.
The 49ers and Jets also have a close relationship with their technical teams, with Saleh and LaFleur coming from the 49ers. Chances are the 49ers know what the Jets think at No. 2 and have announced that the quarterbacks will be available at No. 3. Trevor Lawrence of Clemson is expected to be No. 1 in the overall standings by the Jaguars. Urban Meyer did not attend Wilson’s professional day, another indication that Lawrence is the Jacksonville boy.
The other trade that happened Friday was for the Eagles to return from No. 6 to No. 12 in a trade with the Dolphins, who sent a pick they had just gotten from San Francisco to Philadelphia. The NFL Network reported that the Eagles had an interest in rising to No. 3, but only for Wilson. His decision to go back indicates that they know Wilson will take No. 2. Douglas worked for the Eagles for three years before being hired by the Jets.
All of that related to the points leads to a conclusion: the Jets will draft the No. 2 Wilson overall next month and change Sam Darnold, except for something really unexpected.
The Jets got their first face-to-face look at Wilson on Friday. He threw about 70 passes during the session and did not disappoint. He made a few lovely throws, one that stood out was a deep pass to his right as he rolled to the left demonstrating remarkable arm strength.
“Today’s goal was to show what makes me different, the types of throws I can make that I feel other guys don’t practice and don’t,” Wilson said in an interview with Zoom. “That was today’s goal of showing what makes me different.”
The NFL Network showed Wilson and Douglas chatting after their pitching session. Wilson said he has already spoken to the Jets via Zoom and likes the staff.
“Excellent staff, I love these guys. Joe Douglas is a fantastic guy, ”said Wilson. “It was good to see him here. They have something good. My Zoom interactions with them have been like with any other computer, they just try to pass and they just try to pick the brain, see what it’s all about, how to process things and all that kind of stuff. It’s been good. “
Wilson said he has family in the New York area and has been here several times. He said he would be happy to join any team that drafted him.
Wilson comes out of a 2020 monster season when he threw 33 touchdowns and just three interceptions. There are questions about the level of competition he faced and why his stats weren’t better in the previous two years.
The 21-year-old did not do any professional exercise during the day because he said he modified a hamstring a few weeks ago. However, the teams were not there to see him run the 40 yard-dash. They wanted to see him throw and he made a good display.
“One thing I feel separates me is just my passion for the game,” Wilson said. “I really spend a lot of time doing what I do. Over the years, I have dedicated my life to football. It’s crazy you know when people try to ask me what I do outside of football, football is really my life. It’s like everything I have. ”