Zach Wilson Labeled ‘One Of Nation’s Smoothest Quarterbacks’ By Hall Of Fame NFL Exec
Nov 2, 2020, 1:44 PM | Updated: 3:26 pm
BYU QB Zach Wilson looks to make a play against UTSA on October 10th, 2020. (Photo courtesy of Alyssa Dahneke, BYU)
(Photo courtesy of Alyssa Dahneke, BYU)
PROVO, Utah – The rise of BYU quarterback Zach Wilson has been quite a sight to see this season. Everywhere you look, Wilson is receiving praise for his play, and for good reasons. Statistically, Wilson is near the top in every stat for quarterbacks and he has BYU off to a 7-0 start for the first time since 2001.
The football world is taking notice, including some of the iconic figures in the figure. One of those is NFL Hall of Fame executive Gil Brandt. Brandt tweeted on Monday about Wilson.
One of the nation’s smoothest quarterbacks is @BYUfootball‘s Zach Wilson. He’s had some incredible throws in this unbeaten season for BYU, including this one on third down Saturday. As pretty as you’ll see. Makes it look effortless. pic.twitter.com/bcyUuX3lAG
— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) November 2, 2020
“One of the nation’s smoothest quarterbacks is @BYUfootball’s Zach Wilson. He’s had some incredible throws in this unbeaten season for BYU, including this one on third down Saturday. As pretty as you’ll see. Makes it look effortless.”
The clip Brandt featured was Wilson’s deep ball to wide receiver Gunner Romney in the first quarter of BYU’s 41-10 over Western Kentucky on Halloween night. Just one of Wilson’s 18 completions en route to a pedestrian –by Wilson’s standards– 224 yards over the Hilltoppers.
For those that aren’t familiar with Brandt, he was the key architect in turning the Dallas Cowboys organization from an expansion to “America’s Team.” Brandt was the Vice President of Player Personnel for the Cowboys from 1960-1988 and helped construct rosters that led to Dallas appearing in five Super Bowls and taking home two Vince Lombardi Trophies in Super Bowl VI and XII.
Player personnel departments in the football world today owe a lot of gratitude to Brandt, one of the profession’s visionaries.
Wilson is currently fourth in passing yards this season with 2,152 yards and third nationally in touchdown passes with 19. But stats are not the end all be all for NFL teams. Arm strength, arm angles, and other components make Wilson one of the fastest-rising prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft if he were to declare early after this year.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m., KSL Newsradio). Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper and the KSL Sports app.
