Getty Zach Wilson
The overwhelming feeling is that the New England Patriots will need a new quarterback in 2021. As far as the college ranks are concerned, the team is consistently linked to BYU’s Zach Wilson.
If you’ve ever seen Wilson play, then you know that is an exciting concept for Patriots fans, but the question is: is it a realistic one?
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Gannavarapu: ‘Wilson Could Be a Staple for the Franchise’
Fan Sided’s Sravan Gannavarapu put his Patriots QB fantasy in print as he gushed over the possibilities of the team doing whatever is necessary to draft Wilson this spring.
Gannavarapu wrote:
It must be noted Bill Belichick, as great as he is, needs a leader on the field that can have a command of the game. Cam Newton‘s words of accountability come across as sincere. However, the results are lacking and by judging the standards in Foxborough, anything less than success is unacceptable. Zach Wilson has had to rise and work in order to achieve the level of success that he has had. His toughness cannot also be questioned as shown in a loss to Coastal Carolina. He fits the profile of the New England Patriots and would be a staple for the franchise for the years to come.
It sounds like a winning concept and Gannavarapu isn’t the only one with thoughts of Wilson donning a Patriots jersey in 2021.
Thamel: ‘Most Fun Player in College Football This Year’
Yahoo! Sports’ Pete Thamel appeared on WEEI’s Dale and Keefe and he spoke with Tom Curran and Nick “Fitzy” Stevens about Wilson. Thamel referred to the young gunslinger as a “Rucker Park” type quarterback, and he called him the “most fun player in college football this year.”
Tale a look and listen:
.@PeteThamel joined @FitzyGFY and @TomECurran today and tried to solve the “single most difficult, vexing riddle in sports,” specifically talking about Zach Wilson:
“…he is the most fun player in college football this year…”
When it comes to arm talent, moxie and many of the other intangibles teams look for when drafting a potential franchise quarterback, Wilson would appear to have it all in spades. If there is anything he’s falling short of, it’s a resume against top talent.
However, when he has had a chance to prove himself against better teams, most recently against Central Florida when he threw for 425 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Boca Raton Bowl, Wilson has shined.
That performance and his rising stock may ultimately make Wilson unavailable for the Patriots.
The Patriots Will Likely Have to Trade Up to Get Wilson
As of right now, the Patriots, who are 6-8 with a couple of games remaining, are slated to pick in the middle of the first round. The exact spot could change over the final two weeks of the season, but that’s likely to be the range they’re locked into.
That would probably have the Patriots selecting far too late to have a chance to select Wilson which means they would have to trade up to get him. There is talk Wilson could leapfrog Justin Fields and be the second quarterback taken.
If that happens, the Patriots will need to part with a serious collection of draft assets to move into a position to take Wilson. It seems unlikely unless Bill Belichick has fallen in love with Wilson. That concept doesn’t even sound right as I read it back to myself, so I wouldn’t get too enamored with the thought of Wilson in a Patriots jersey.