BYU Football: 2021 NFL Mock Draft Projections for Zach Wilson
BYU football's Zach Wilson has played his way into NFL draft discussions this season. We take a look at the latest NFL mock drafts and where Zach Wilson is projected to be drafted in the 2021 NFL draft, if he elects to turn pro after this season.
Round: 1
Pick: 3
Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Commentary: "He’s the highest-graded passer in college football. He can win from the pocket as well as on the move. He’s got a quick release and can sling it from any platform. And he doesn't miss. Get used to it — Wilson is an elite quarterback prospect."
CBS Sports (Ryan Wilson)
Round: 1
Pick: 9
Team: New England Patriots
Commentary: "Zach Wilson, y'all! We really love Wilson's game but this is the first time he's cracked our first round. He's been lights out this season and reminds us of all the good things we loved about Johnny Manziel and Baker Mayfield when they were in college -- except Wilson is more accurate and arguably a better runner. The Pats need a QB and we continue to expect Wilson to garner first-round buzz."
CBS Sports (Chris Trapasso)
Round: 1
Pick: 14
Team: Minnesota Vikings
Commentary: "I really think Wilson's ceiling is inside the top half of the first round. And after years of laboring through the Kirk Cousins era, the Vikings get a quarterback who couldn't be more different from Cousins stylistically."
Round: 1
Pick: 9
Team: New England Patriots
Commentary: "The New England Patriots are, for the first time in nearly 30 years, faced with uncertainty at the quarterback position and will be tasked with using a top-10 draft pick to secure the quarterback of the future. Barring a major slide to end the season, they won’t be in position to draft the top prospects at the position, though, and will instead likely be the team to start the second run of quarterbacks.With Lawrence, Fields and Lance off the board, the Patriots must decide between the athletic, playmaking style of Zach Wilson or the big arm and deep throwing of Mac Jones or even the pro-style distributing ways of Kyle Trask. And no one knows what the team’s new type at quarterback is, exactly.There were rumors in 2018 that the Patriots loved Baker Mayfield, which would tend to point toward Wilson as the most likely fit for the offense. He’s a smaller quarterback, listed at 6’3” and 209 pounds, but a smooth passer with the tenacity to take downfield shots and the mobility to scramble and make plays with his feet. He’s also a three-year starter with tons of experience and tape the Patriots can evaluate to get a feel for his ability. That could tip his hand over Jones—a starter for just one full season—and Trask in an offense that values football IQ and mental reps."
Round: 1
Pick: 6
Team: Minnesota Vikings
Commentary: "Our first bold call. You’d think a quarterback would be in play, given Kirk Cousins’ struggles. But is Wilson that good?
He has been excellent this season. And it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, but one year ago, Joe Burrow was more in that late first-round picture and just starting to receive mention as a possible top-10 pick.
If Wilson keeps firing away, don’t be stunned to see him go this high, even if BYU hasn’t faced a good defense yet. As one veteran evaluator reminded us this summer, “Quarterbacks always go higher than you think.” For this exercise, and in the sake of wanting to look smart down the road, we hope they’re right."
Not projected to be drafted in the first two rounds.
Round: 1
Pick: 25
Team: Chicago Bears
Round: 1
Pick: 25
Team: Chicago Bears
Commentary: "Coming into the season, there were three top quarterbacks in the 2021 draft class and then massive uncertainty. Amid a breakout campaign (1,928 passing yards, 16/1 TD/INT ratio), Wilson becomes QB4 in this class. Nicknamed the “Mormon Manziel”, he is nimble in the pocket, boasts impressive accuracy and makes the kind of throws off play-action that we see from great quarterbacks. He might need a year to grow, but he can easily be Chicago’s long-term starter."
Not projected to be drafted in the first round.
Pro Football Network
Round: 1
Pick: 26
Team: New Orleans Saints
Commentary: "Taysom Hill is not the future quarterback for the Saints, and neither is Jameis Winston. This could very well be the offseason in which Sean Payton and his staff find their heir apparent to Drew Brees, and they find him in the first round of this NFL mock draft.
Zach Wilson has put together an impressive resume and has earned some well-deserved hype so far in the draft process. After an up-and-down 2019, Wilson has come out with guns blazing in 2020, including putting together a 400-yard, four-touchdown performance against Houston. If Brees were to play one more season, it would be a great opportunity for Wilson to learn under one of the game’s greatest quarterbacks."
Round: 1
Pick: 28
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Commentary: "Best case scenario, Ben Roethlisberger plays until the wheels fall off and Zach Wilson seamlessly steps in to fill the void. Worst case scenario, it has an Aaron Rodgers-type impact on Roethlisberger and he sets the world on fire. Neither is a bad choice."
Round: 1
Pick: 18
Team: Chicago Bears
Commentary: "Wilson has blossomed so far in 2020 and is among the biggest risers of any prospect regardless of position this year. The Bears won’t be in position to land Fields or Lawrence, but Wilson is exactly the type of player that can thrive in Matt Nagy’s offense. He is mobile and does well to extend plays and hit throws down the field. Combining that ability with the schemed throws featured in Nagy’s offense could finally solve the quarterback issues in Chicago."