New on Sports Illustrated: Jets Select Zach Wilson With No. 2 Pick in 2021 NFL Draft

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After stunning NFL scouts and Trevor Lawrence at his Pro Day, BYU's Zach Wilson is headed to New York in 2021.

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After stunning Trevor Lawrence and NFL scouts at his Pro Day last month, BYU's Zach Wilson is headed to New York in 2021.

The Jets selected Wilson as the No. 2 pick during the first round of the 2021 NFL draft on Thursday evening. Wilson is the second quarterback off the board after Lawrence was drafted by the Jaguars with the No. 1 pick.

Wilson had a breakout year last season, ranking second in the FBS in completion percentage. He tossed 33 touchdowns and just three interceptions, and finished No. 10 in the FBS with a 307.7 passing yards per game. Wilson also rushed for 10 touchdowns in 12 starts for the 11–1 Cougars in 2020.

Wilson completed 62% of his passes in 2019. He threw for 2,382 yards and eleven touchdowns.

FanNation: Zach Wilson Fantasy Football Rookie Profile

The Jets finished last in the AFC East in 2020 at 2–14. They traded Sam Darnold to the Panthers in early April, three years after drafting him with the No. 3 pick.

Wilson has a gunslinger mindset, possessing the arm talent to create explosive plays inside and out of the pocket. His strength was on full display during his Pro Day, where every NFL team was present except for the Rams. He threw multiple off-balance passes that went 50 yards.

"The goal today was to kind of show what makes me different, the type of throws I can make that I feel like other guys don't practice and don't try to do," Wilson said afterward on a Zoom call. "That was the goal—to show what makes me different."

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