Deseret News
‘This organization is going to lift you’: What the New York Jets told Zach Wilson before they drafted him
‘Oh, what a night’: BYU coach Kalani Sitake honored to be among those invited to share the spotlight with his former QB Thursday at the NFL draft in Cleveland
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David Dermer, Associated Press
CLEVELAND Moments after the 86th NFL draft began in Cleveland on Thursday night, Zach Wilson took a call from the New York Jets brass letting him know that they were about to select the former BYU quarterback with the No. 2 pick.
“You could just see the emotion pouring out,” said Sitake, who was invited by Wilson to attend the festivities, along with several of Wilson’s former coaches, mentors and trainers. “It just all sunk in for them. I am honored to have been able to witness that.”
Former Utah high school football stars Jay Tufele and Simi Fehoko were still on the board going into the draft’s final day, while BYU standouts Khyiris Tonga, Matt Bushman and Dax Milne were also available.
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USC Trojans defensive lineman Jay Tufele gets ready to take the field against the Utah Utes during an NCAA football game in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. Tufele, who played at Bingham High, is the best available Utah tie heading into Day 2 of the 2021 NFL draft.
Ravell Call, Deseret News
Thursday’s first round of the 2021 NFL draft was a big night for the state of Utah, with Zach Wilson going to the New York Jets with the No. 2 overall pick and Penei Sewell heading to the Detroit Lions at No. 7.
With the quarterback Wilson (BYU and Corner Canyon High) and offensive tackle Sewell (Desert Hills High) off the board, the focus turns to a handful of other Utah ties who are expected to be drafted.
By: Crissy Froyd April 19th, 2021 2021-04-19T06:03:00-05:00 The Draft Network
Photo: USA TODAY NETWORK
There was a time
Zach Wilson was an afterthought as far as upper-level quarterbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft go. Then, there was a time it was considered preposterous to rank him above former Clemson quarterback
We’re now beyond both of those eras, with Wilson slated to be one of the first players off the board and a number of people both in the media and within the NFL willing to put him over Lawrence.
This comes down to a lot of things that can be described in short-form as the Joe Burrow-type of rise Wilson had at BYU this past season. One quarterback Wilson models himself after is Burrow himself and who wouldn’t want to do that after the success Burrow had at LSU, finishing out an undefeated season with a win over a historically dominant Clemson team?