Where did Zach Wilson play college football? Exploring the collegiate career of the New York Jets' QB
With New York Jets star quarterback (QB) Aaron Rodgers out against the Buffalo Bills due to an injury, their first-round pick Zach Wilson comes in. Drafted into the NFL in 2021, Wilson is replacing a bonafide NFL Hall of Famer for the season.
Having said that, fans are curious to know where Zach Wilson played college football. Further, they also want to know if his CFB stats are good enough to replace Aaron. Let's find out.
Where did Zach Wilson play college football?
Zach's college career took off with the BYU Cougars. Before getting selected for the 2021 NFL Draft, Wilson played in 30 career games for the Cougars with 28 starts in all, according to BYUCougars.
Safe to say, Wilson was one of the best quarterbacks to ever lace cleats for Brigham Young. All the way from Corner Canyon High School in Draper, Utah, he was a three-star recruit and the 12th-best player in the state, according to ESPN. His 4.84 40-time, 36.0 vert, and 38.5 power throw were enough to generate BYU's interest in recruiting him.
Zach Wilson's college stats
Wilson's NCAA stats are quite impressive for a second-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. In his three seasons for BYU, he tallied a total of 7,652 yards with a 67.6 CMP%. He also made 15 interceptions and logged an average rating of 162.9.
Among his greatest accomplishments in college ball is his overall productivity. As per BYU, his most productive season was in 2020, in which he was second in the nation in Points Responsible For (264), completion percentage (73.5%), and overall passing efficiency (196.4). He was also third in total passing yards, fourth in passing touchdowns, and fifth in passing yards per completion.
His performances on the field earned him a ticket to the Pro Football Focus All-America Second Team that year. He also finished eighth in Heisman voting and was a finalist for the Manning Award, alongside other awards like the Walter Camp Player of the Year, Maxwell Award, and Davey O'Brien Award.
Will Zach Wilson be a good fit for the New York Jets?
With Rodgers out, Zach has some big shoes to fill. But if his collegiate career is any indication, he's more than ready for the challenge.
Speaking to Deseret about his time with the Jets, he said,
“Right now, I am having a ton of fun. Like more fun than I have had. And I think that is just, the quarterback room, being with Aaron. I think it is feeling like every single day there is so much to learn. … Every day I am just like, ‘Wow, I just learned 10 different things about playing the quarterback position.’”
True enough, his NFL career remains stellar stats-wise. He's logged a total of 4,162 yards for the Jets with a respectable 55.6 CMP%. In the game against the Bills where he stepped up for Rodgers, he threw for 150 yards on 14-for-21 attempts, alongside one touchdown. Here's one of the highlight plays he made:
Looks like the New York Jets are in relatively good hands for now.