Panthers 2021 NFL Draft: Ranking the top-10 QB prospects
By Dean Jones
No. 3: Zach Wilson – BYU
This year’s hype train has long left the station where Zach Wilson is concerned. The BYU quarterback might not have come up against top-class opposition at the collegiate level, but he has that X-factor that every NFL team is looking for following the success of players like Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes.
Some analysts have Wilson ranked as the top signal-caller in this class. While that is a little bit extreme, the player seems to have everything in his locker providing his adjustment to a stiff increase in competition is a smooth one.
If the Carolina Panthers identify Wilson as their primary target, they will have to trade up to get him in all likelihood.
No. 2: Justin Fields – Ohio State
Ohio State quarterbacks haven’t fared well once joining the pro ranks in recent years. But that should not put off anybody from using their first-round pick on Justin Fields.
The dual-threat quarterback is a phenomenal talent who has some rare athletic traits, with his ability to generate big yardage quickly thanks to decisive throws all over the field another huge potential factor that shouldn’t be overlooked.
If Wilson has the hype, the Fields is the one with proven production against some of the top defenses in college football. If he lands in the right spot, this is a day one starter that can alter the course of a franchise.
No. 1: Trevor Lawrence – Clemson
Let’s not get silly, Trevor Lawrence is the best quarterback entering the NFL this year and is going to be taken by the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 1 overall. The Clemson phenom was next-level ready after his freshman year and we seem to have been waiting for an age for the day to finally come where he takes his chances in the pros.
The expectations could not be higher where Lawrence is concerned. If you were to make the perfect signal-caller in a lab somewhere, then it would come out with the skills he possesses
Simply put, he is the best prospect at the position since Andrew Luck.
This is a lofty ceiling to aim for, of that there is little doubt. However, Lawrence has been dealing with pressure such as this since he was in high school and prospects like him simply don’t come along every day.