“That was a little harsh” - When Zach Wilson opened up on being evaluated as shorter before 2021 NFL draft
New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas preferred to evaluate games with multiple draft prospects. Just six months before the 2021 NFL draft, he received word from his scout about a prospect: Zach Wilson. So, Douglas ended up watching a BYU-Houston game.
For Douglas, it was an opportunity to evaluate Houston defensive end Payton Turner and three offensive players from BYU’s offense, including Wilson. Due to restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Jets could only scout two of the quarterback’s games and arrange a five-hour video meeting. It wasn’t enough, but it was the best they could do.
When Brian Costello of the NY Post asked the Draper native in May 2021 if anything had bothered him during the predraft process, Wilson laughingly said,
"Well, just the fact everyone thought I was 6 feet," Wilson said. "I mean, that was a little harsh."
Since the NFL combine couldn’t take place in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jets relied on data provided by their medical scouting team, which relied on second-hand data. Wilson was listed at 6-2 and 214 pounds on his March 26 pro day. However, the Jets still wanted to confirm Wilson’s size.
Wilson’s selection as the No. 2 pick of the 2021 NFL draft was largely due to Douglas, who viewed Wilson as a higher prospect than Clemson's Trevor Lawrence.
Zach Wilson's roller-coaster ride with the NY Jets
However, Zach Wilson's tenure with the Jets was a roller-coaster ride. He had multiple poor performances combined with questionable mechanics, which resulted in a loss of trust from teammates. After a poor game against the New England Patriots in 2023, he was benched.
Among 47 eligible QBs with 200 or more attempts, he finished the season ranked 37th in QBR, 47th in CMT, and 40th in TD/INT ratio, according to ESPN. He was also ranked 46th in QBR while passing under high pressure.
"For years, he got away with bad mechanics — and he hasn't erased the bad mechanics," former quarterback and ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky said.
Thus, Wilson struggles to perform under high pressure.
However, in Wilson’s defense, he didn’t have an NFL veteran to learn from, as he was expected to take on the starting role from his rookie season. In 2021, the Jets had traded away the 2018 No. 3 pick, Sam Darnold, hoping Wilson would take over. Former Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said in his final interview that, in retrospect, it was a bad decision.