BYU Legend Steve Young: Zach Wilson Acts Like Patrick Mahomes As A Pro

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – BYU legend and ESPN NFL analyst Steve Young had high praise for Cougars star quarterback Zach Wilson entering the 2021 NFL Draft.

Many have made the Zach Wilson comparisons to Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes but Steve Young looked at it from a different angle. Young joined Hannah Storm on SportsCenter on Sunday and talked about the San Francisco 49ers moving up to the No. 3 overall pick. Storm asked Young which quarterback fits the 49ers more, Zach Wilson or Ohio State QB Justin Fields?

“Well, clearly they’re comfortable with either one,” Young said. “The pressure is now on the Jets with Sam Donald and I think they’re okay with it however it goes. Clearly you make this kind of a commitment to the number three spot, they’re good with either one.”

The great @SteveYoungQB on Zach Wilson. 👀 #LocalsInTheNFL #YACPodcast #NFL #FTTB #BYU #GoCougs #BYUFOOTBALL @kslsports pic.twitter.com/4D3Vkg2GFD

— Kyle Ireland 😷 (@kyleireland) March 28, 2021

While answering the first question, Young broke down Zach Wilson and how he fits into the NFL.

“Now, if you want to kind of parse it, we can do that all day long. It’s a lot of fun because look, Justin’s played against top college performers, he’s been in the big games. BYU plays San Diego State, Boise State, Houston in the COVID crazy year,” Young stated. “But the facts are with Zach Wilson is that every time they asked more of him, he gave you even more. That’s what’s the excitement about Zach is they watch more and more film as the subtleness of his game.”

Then Young compared Wilson to Mahomes in a different way.

“Patrick Mahomes came into the league, when he came out of Texas Tech,” Young mentioned. “He was a wild thrower. We don’t know exactly what we’re gonna get, he had to kind of settle down. Zach comes into the pros, he acts like Patrick Mahomes as a pro. He’s just so settled. He’s so present, he’s very spatially aware. There’s a lot of things that when you say ‘what his ceiling?’ In some ways, I have no idea. That’s the excitement of Zach Wilson. There’s nothing about him that you watch on film and go, ‘yeah, he’s got a ceiling here or there.’ It looks like there isn’t one.”

Wilson is projected to go to the New York Jets with the second overall pick but could also land with the 49ers.