The New York Jets officially turned the page on Thursday night by selecting former BYU QB Zach Wilson with the no. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The 21-year old Wilson possesses an enticing combination of arm talent, athleticism, instinctual play-making, and charisma. In fact, according to Connor Hughes of The Athletic, Wilson credits his experience on the hardwood for developing his ability to read and react on the field.
Zach Wilson says a lot of his improvisational skills he developed by playing … basketball. #Jets
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) April 30, 2021
Ironically, basketball also played a major role in the athletic nurturing of Zach Wilson's predecessor, Sam Darnold. Darnold revered Kobe Bryant (like Wilson) and the Los Angeles Lakers and starred as a high-school hooper in Southern California before going on to excel under center for the USC Trojans.
Before playing football and being selected by the Jets, Wilson played point guard at athletic powerhouse Corner Canyon High School in Draper, Utah. He started for the varsity hoops team as a junior, and he can apparently easily dunk with either hand at 6'2.
“I’ve always wanted to be the guy with the ball in his hands,” the new Jets star told the Deseret News. “My whole Little League career and even into high school at first I never really thought about playing college football, let alone in the NFL,” Wilson said. “I was more into basketball and was thinking that would be the future sport for me.”
After three disappointing seasons in New York, the Jets traded Darnold to the Carolina Panthers, opting instead to ride with Wilson as the franchise QB under new head coach Robert Saleh.
Certainly, the Jets hope Wilson's tenure will work out a little better than Darnold's.
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