BYU’s Zach Wilson has look of someone’s NFL QB of the future

There is much speculation that this may be Drew Brees’ farewell tour with the NFL. It could well be.

There is growing concern the Saints lack any long term answer at quarterback. Sean Payton my feel quite differently but the question remains – is the future Saints starting QB on the current roster?

The upcoming draft should have a number of options for the Black and Gold to consider.

Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields will be long gone before the Saints pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. North Dakota State’s Trey Lance and Florida’s Kyle Trask are another couple of names to consider if they are available.

Yet there is another QB who resembles Brees in a variety of ways and is rapidly climbing into the national spotlight. Brigham Young junior Zach Wilson has his team coasting along undefeated at 5-0, 12th ranked nationally and outscoring their opposition thus far 218-46.

The 6-foot-3, 210 pounder has thrown for 1,641 yards, 12 touchdowns and only one interception, completing 78.7 percent of his tosses. That rate is higher than Joe Burrow’s during his record run last fall. Wilson is highly efficient, extremely accurate, deceptively athletic and confident with the proverbial chip on his shoulder as if he has something to prove. Sounds a lot like Burrow, doesn’t it?

Inside of the blue eyed, sandy-haired young man lies the heart of a gunslinger. Wilson is so accurate that many call him GPS.  He possesses outstanding touch on his offerings but can also fire the ball with great velocity. He shows textbook footwork, looks off defenders and keeps his vision downfield. He senses pressure and remains cool in the pocket. He doesn’t panic. He is a gym rat and a tireless worker.

If it sounds like over-the-top praise, it may be. Wilson is a special looking talent nonetheless.

Zach appeared in nine contests on 2018 as a true freshman, starting seven. He was the youngest QB in school history to start a contest at 19 years and two months.  In his very first start against Hawaii in LaVell Edwards Stadium in October 2018, Wilson led touchdown drives on BYU’s first two possessions as the Cougars rolled to a 49-23 win.

After accounting for 1,578 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions his freshman season, Wilson fought through injuries and inconsistencies last year. He approached the 2020 season with a lot to prove.

Like most quarterbacks these days, Wilson has his own trainer. In his case, it’s ex-BYU and NFL quarterback John Beck. Hie clients include Dak Prescott, Matt Stafford and Jared Goff among others. Beck spent six seasons playing in the NFL.

However, Wilson grew up in a family of ardent football supporters of BYU’s rivals, the Utah Utes. His father Mike played defensive tackle for the Utes from 1992 to 1995 and was a defensive line mate of long time NFL starter Luther Elliss. We’ll get to how he ended up in blue instead of red later

Now mentioned in the same breath as some of the former great BYU quarterbacks, Wilson has 5,601 career passing yards, 35 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. How does he compare to other legendary Cougars?

Jim McMahon led the Cougars to a 23-5 mark, was an All American, won the Davey O’Brien Award and finished third in the Heisman voting in 1981. He broke 70 NCAA records, finishing with 9,536 career passing yards and 84 touchdowns.

Steve Young was a first-team All-American who also won the Davey O’Brien Award in 1983 and finished behind Mike Rozier in the ’83 Heisman balloting. Young threw for 7,193 career yards with 56 touchdowns and also ran for 1,044 yards.

Robbie Bosco quarterbacked BYU to the school’s only national championship in 1984 and was third in the Heisman voting. Bosco finished with 8,400 career passing yard with, 66 touchdowns.

Ty Detmer won the 1990 Heisman and the O’Brien Award in both the 1990 and 1991 seasons. He set 59 NCAA records and totaled 15,031 career passing yards with 121 touchdowns.

Speaking of the Saints, Taysom Hill finished his days in Provo with 6,929 passing yards, 43 touchdowns and 31 interceptions.

Toss in other fine passers like Gifford Nielson, Virgil Carter and Marc Wilson, and you can see that Zach Wilson is in elite company within his own college program.

Wilson took a strange path to Brigham Young University. His dream was to follow in the footsteps of his father at the University of Utah. After a stellar career at Corner Canyon High School, Wilson was informed by Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham that the Utes didn’t have room for him. Whittingham offered highly-touted Jack Tuttle a scholarship and vowed not to offer another QB in the 2018 class. Tuttle unfortunately didn’t work out. He left midway into his freshman season. Zach committed to Boise State with California, Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon State, Syracuse, Utah State, Hawaii, Fresno State, Rice, Nevada and Colorado State all clamoring for his signature.

BYU had also offered Zadock Dinkleman, currently a backup, who had broken free from an early commitment to LSU. Wilson decided to accept the BYU offer with an opportunity to have his family see him play and, perhaps, have Utah see the error of their ways.

Currently at 20-1 odds to win the 2020 Heisman, Wilson is only a junior and has not decided if he will enter the 2021 draft. Keep an eye on him though. Wilson just might be a guy capable of filling some very big shoes in the Big Easy.