NFL
By: Edwin Duodu
It appears that the New York Jets have got their guy. Once a marriage that seemed very unlikely to happen at the end of last season is now sealed. Zach Wilson is now the newest face of the franchise, one who could be regarded as the “One.” Jets general manager Joe Douglass is now putting all his hopes on Wilson to deliver, something recent players were unable to do for the franchise in the past. This, by all accounts, needed to happen. Pushing the reset button was the logical decision after trading away former first-round pick Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers. The team, however, is content on living and dying by this decision.
As always, there are massive expectations that Wilson will have to meet in his first year. If Darnold excels in Matt Rhule’s offense and Wilson struggles, there will immediately be an uproar within the fanbase. Sam Darnold is only 23 and still has a chance to succeed in this league. However, this fanbase should still be excited. Although there are some doubts about the level of competition that BYU faced, Wilson still has the intangibles to be what this franchise has been searching for decades. He made substantial improvements from the previous season to his last season, throwing 33 touchdowns to just three interceptions. His ability to throw with anticipation, move within the pocket, and have great accuracy makes him a valuable asset. He’s regarded as “the most natural thrower in the draft.” The most important task is still surrounding Wilson with the talent to ease the pressure of being a rookie in the NFL. Douglass has mentioned before that the team needs to do what they didn’t do for Sam Darnold. He’s already started early, selecting Alijah Vera-Tucker at 14.
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Tucker is widely regarded as the best guard in the draft. There was doubt that the guard from USC wouldn’t make it to the 23rd spot. Douglass notice this once Tucket fell to 14, and he made an aggressive move, trading away the 23rd pick and two third-round picks to get him. It was a great move, as the left side of the offensive line is now solidified potentially for years to come. It’s up to Douglass and his staff to continue this path of building around Zach Wilson and provide him the best chance to win. The challenge will be daunting, as the AFC East is still loaded defensively, led by the Superbowl Contending Buffalo Bills. Still, this is an excellent start for the New York Jets, and Douglass has shown so far that he is knowledgeable on finding talent in the draft.
