JUSTIN FIELDS VS ZACH WILSON FOR #2
Before, during, and after the college season ended, Trevor Lawrence has always been ranked as the #1 QB prospect going into this year’s NFL Draft. For much of the preseason and most of the regular season, Justin Fields was regarded as the surefire #2 QB prospect. Due to a couple of underwhelming games from Fields and the rise of BYU QB Zach Wilson, it has opened up the debate for who the #2 QB off the board will be.
Coming out of high school, Trevor Lawrence was the #1 ranked QB, and right behind him was Justin Fields at #2. They have been ranked next to each other the past three college football seasons and in mock drafts leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft. However, because of a couple games towards the end of the season, it might be in question if these two are going to be the #1 and #2 QBs off the board in this upcoming NFL Draft. Fields had a rough National Championship game against Alabama, throwing for less than 200 yards, completing just over 50% of his passes and throwing for only 1 touchdown. Not the performance many expected following his absolute masterful 6 touchdown game he had against Clemson in the Sugar Bowl. In his defense, playing an Alabama defense is one of the hardest challenges for a college QB. However, if Fields wanted to cement himself as the #2 QB, he needed to show out against Alabama. He didn’t necessarily need to win the game in order to cement his spot, but he needed to do much better than he did.
Now two questions arise following this National Championship game. If not Fields, then who? And if not #2, then where? The answer to who else could be the second quarterback off the board is BYU quarterback Zach Wilson. He didn’t really put himself on the map until this season, where he exploded for almost 3,700 yards, 33 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions, while having some of the best throws you’ll see all season. The numbers and the arm talent Wilson put on display this year has made him one of the most intriguing prospects in the entire draft, and the biggest threat to Justin Fields to be the second quarterback off the board in the 2021 NFL Draft.
If Fields isn’t the second quarterback taken, and the Jets take Zach Wilson at 2, where will Fields go? The Dolphins at 3 aren’t going to take a quarterback as they have Tua Tagovailoa. He could go anywhere from the Falcons at 4, Eagles at 6, Lions at 7 or Panthers at 8. There are more QB needy teams past that but Fields is too talented to be available past the top 8, and if those teams want him, they’re going to need to trade up. All these teams are great fits for Fields, who is a dual threat QB who can add a new element to their offenses. If Zach Wilson is taken 2nd overall, I don’t see Fields being far behind, as teams will be racing to try to trade up for him. Being a Georgia native, Fields shouldn’t last past the Atlanta Falcons at 4, especially with Matt Ryan aging and not being the same quarterback he used to be. With the highest pick the Falcons have had in years, there is no better time to draft Ryan’s successor than now. Whether they want to sit him for a year or start him right away, if Fields is on the board at 4, the Falcons need to take him. Being from Georgia, the fanbase would be ecstatic to bring in a hometown kid to be their future franchise quarterback. For Fields, I’m sure he would love to come back to where he grew up and be the star for his hometown team.
Following the Big 10 Championship against Northwestern, people were questioning Fields and how good he can actually be against good competition and if he was even a top 3 QB prospect. He then followed that game up with a 6-touchdown performance against one of the best teams in the country and was back in the discussion for the #2 QB prospect in the country. He could have cemented it with a great performance against Alabama in the National Championship, but unfortunately, he had a subpar performance, leaving the door open. The debate remains between him and Wilson. A lot can change from now until the NFL Draft, but as of right now, Wilson may have the edge over Fields. He had a better season, although against lesser competition and showed he could do a lot more throwing the football as well, both inside and outside the pocket. Justin Fields’ advantage is his legs and that he has played in much bigger games than Wilson has. But NFL teams don’t take much stock into that; instead, they take a lot of stock into the arm talent of quarterbacks. Example being Patrick Mahomes, someone who didn’t play in a lot of big games, nor did he play against the top competition in the country. But he had arm talent and could make every throw on the field. Not saying Wilson is Mahomes, but the kind of throws they both make and the things being said about their competition are very similar. With a strong combine, pro day, and interviews, Fields could make his case over Wilson in the months to come. But as of right now, based on film and sheer potential, Wilson should have the edge over Fields.
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