Zach Wilson Fitting in Well with Jets

Second overall pick Zach Wilson is settling into his role as the New York Jets franchise quarterback

The acclimation process for Zach Wilson has been smooth so far, as the New York Jets first-round selection is sounding and looking the part of the franchise’s long-awaited franchise quarterback. Being on the field doesn’t seem to worry Wilson as much, however, as the difficult transition off it.

The Jets selected Wilson with the second overall pick in April’s NFL Draft. Then they moved up in the first round to add USC offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker at No. 14.

In Thursday’s Organized Team Activities (OTAs), Wilson reportedly looked the part.

Zach Wilson was sharp in first open OTA. Nice zip on seam routes. Seemed to have a handle of the offense, save for one mix-up that resulted in a re-huddle. Went 2-for-3 in 11-on-11, 10-for-13 in 7-on-7. #Jets

— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) May 27, 2021

He didn’t seem to have any issues in the 7-on-7 portion of practice, showing a good command and presence according to the media at the Jets facility.

And while the NFL doesn’t seem yet to be a huge adjustment for the former BYU quarterback, one thing about living in New Jersey is a learning curve:

The driving.

“There's a different look to the city, and it's very green and trees everywhere and Utah's definitely not like that,” Wilson said.

“You know, there's definitely some aggressive drivers here, that's for sure. Getting used to that, you know, getting cut off about everywhere, everywhere you go but really it's  . . . I feel like I'm at home. I don't feel homesick, I don't feel like I'm missing anything. I'm having a blast and I think you know the coaches and the players just make it easy to fit in and then get going with everything.”

His adaptation to the offense is going smoothly, he told reporters on Thursday following OTAs. With the Jets, as he did at BYU, he will be asked to make a lot of quick reads and get the ball out quickly to his wide receivers.

“Yeah, I think there's similarities in almost every aspect. I think the game is gonna be faster; my processing needs to be faster,” Wilson said. “There's obviously some better, faster, smarter guys on defense as well so you know it almost makes me feel like I'm a freshman in college and it seems like almost the same transition from high school to college. It's definitely obviously different. But it kind of reminds me the same thing. I'm just adjusting to the speed of what's going on and then also the plays; there's a lot more that the offense requires of you.”

Wilson is coming off a tremendous final season at BYU where he passed for 3,692 yards with 33 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He led BYU to an 11-1 record and a 49-23 win over Central Florida in the Boca Raton Bowl.