Today we are focusing on Zach Wilson from BYU as a prospect for the 2021 NFL Draft. Wilson is a 6’3″ 210lbs, junior Quarterback who is getting a lot of hype right now due to his excellent play thus far in 2020. Some people are saying Wilson is the top QB in all of college football right now, I dont know how they forgot about Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields, but he his definitely on the right path to be a starter on Sundays. The film I watched to scout Wilson was @Navy (2020), @Troy (2020), @ LA Tech (2020) vs. USC (2019), and @Tenn. (2019).
Pros:
Wilson does a great job of beating defense with both his athletic ability and his his arm. He has a great throwing motion with a quick release which allows him to get the ball into the hands of his playmakers on screens and RPOs. He is an extremely accurate passer than can make any throw you need him to with great accuracy. Wilson has the ability to place the ball where only his Receiver can make a play on it, and he does this by putting the perfect loft touch on his passes or throwing a bullet threw a tight window. He reads the game well and that helps him have such a high completion percentage. Wilson is also a threat to beat you with his legs. He runs the read option well and the defense needs to account for him as a ball carrier on every play. He is extremely dedicated to the game and does everything he can to win.
Cons:
Wilson doesn’t have many glaring weaknesses and the ones he did have in 2019 he has fixed over the offseason while working with QB Guru John Beck. The main knock with him as a passer would be his arm strength. It is not elite, but with no question you can make any throw you need him to. He occasionally doesn’t slide when scrambling when he should which could lead to future injuries. The main question mark I have for Wilson is his ability vs stronger competition. He did beat Tenn. and USC in 2019 but also lost to ranked Washington and Utah, so his performance vs big programs is inconsistent.
Bottom Line:
Bottom Line is Zach Wilson is on his way to becoming the best QB prospect in the nation. He is your prototypical new age QB, who can beat you with his fantastic accuracy or his legs. Wilson can make all the passes you need him to even though he lacks elite arm strength. He has great touch on his passes and does a fantastic job at placing the ball in spots only his Receivers can get it. He has good zip on his ball which allows him to fit it through tight windows or get it to his playmakers on short routes. He has enough speed and athletic ability to make defenses pay for not accounting for him as a runner, and has the agility to make a defender miss in the open field. He is smart, hard working and competitive. His dedication to his craft will pay off for him when he decides to declare for the Draft. There are question marks about his strength of schedule, but I don’t have a question he will be able to develop into a NFL starter. I gave him a grade of 6.8 which translates to a 3rd round talent, however, with the way the NFL values QBs, he could be drafted in the first round, and at least in the 2nd unless his season takes a turn for the worst.
