Eagles and the Quarterback Market: Zach Wilson
Some mock drafts now have the Eagles trading up in this spring's draft in order to draft a premium quarterback rather than sit tight and risk settling for a passer at No. 6.
The most popular swap partner is the Miami Dolphins, who own the third pick and, presumably with their commitment to Tua Tagovailoa, taken fifth overall last year, won’t be taking another quarterback that high.
Should the Eagles go up to three and take a quarterback, there’s a very good chance that three quarterbacks would be the first three players taken in a draft since 1999 when Tim Couch went to the Browns, Donovan McNabb to the Eagles, and Akili Smith to the Bengals.
Clearly, the Eagles got the best of the draft evaluations that year.
This year, Trevor Lawrence will go No. 1 to the Jaguars, barring any unforeseen last-minute change of heart, with the Jets possibly taking a quarterback at No. 2, probably either Zach Wilson or Justin Fields, which would leave the Eagles with whichever one New York doesn’t take, or maybe they go with someone like Trey Lance at North Dakota State.
Some mock drafts don’t have the Eagles taking a quarterback at all until later in the draft, believing that it is counterproductive to bring in somebody that high to compete with Jalen Hurts, who was the Eagles’ surprise second-round pick just last year.
With so much uncertainty, we here at SI.com’s Eagle Maven have decided to cover all our bases in a series that profiles a variety of quarterbacks in the draft.
More previous profiles are listed at the end of the story.
Up next:
ZACH WILSON
Size: 6-3, 209
Strengths: Wilson really raised his draft stock this past season at BYU, completing 74.5 percent of his passes for 33 touchdowns and three interceptions. He is considered the prototypical quarterback for the current NFL, with remarkable arm strength and incredible mobility.
He ran for 612 yards in 30 games during his time in Provo, Utah, with 15 touchdowns.
Weaknesses: With only good real strong season under his belt, the concern is whether or not he was a one-season wonder after having 11 TDs with nine interceptions while completing just 62 percent of his throws as a sophomore.
Perhaps a freshman season, in which he was named MVP of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, will allay any fears after he threw for 12 touchdowns and three interceptions while completing nearly 66 percent of his passes in his first season with BYU.
There are three other potential concerns:
First, the not-very-strong level of opposition the Cougars played.
Second, injuries. In 2019, he had surgery on his thumb and right throwing shoulder.
Third, he is a Mormon, and it is unlikely he would forego the NFL to go on a religious mission, but still unknown as far as I know.
Famous BYU QB's, Marc Wilson, Jim McMahon, Steve Young, Ty Detmer, and Steve Sarkisian did not serve missions.
Pro day: March 26
Notes: Still just 21, Wilson became the youngest starting QB in BYU history, doing so at the age of 19…
Wilson was eighth in the Heisman voting, making him the first player from BYU to finish in the top 10 since 1991 when future Eagles quarterback Ty Detmer in 1996 and 1997 finished third behind Desmond Howard and Casey Weldon.
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s EagleMaven. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
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