BYU quarterback Zach Wilson is the buzz of the NFL draft. But does his potential warrant the hype?

As the lead-up to a quarterback-heavy NFL draft has unfolded, BYU’s Zach Wilson has seen his star rise like no other draft prospect in the last year has.

After putting up pedestrian numbers during his first two college seasons and entering the fall widely seen as a mid-round draft projection, the 6-2, 214-pound signal-caller erupted to rank among the top passers in the nation. In the months since his junior season concluded, Wilson has only further ascended. He could hear his name called as early as second overall after the Jacksonville Jaguars maketheir selection of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence at No. 1 official.

From leading the Cougars to an 11-1 season to his pro day performance late last month, Wilson has dazzled as a passer, play-maker and athlete. Now, thanks to his knack for extending plays and delivering unconventional throws, Wilson is drawing comparisons to Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers. There are even those who believe Wilson actually could wind up outshining Lawrence over the course of their careers. 

“Zach Wilson is the top quarterback in the draft for a lot of different reasons, really,” former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, now an analyst for NBC Sports, told USA TODAY Sports. “This is a great quarterback class. These top five, six guys all have elite traits. But when it comes to just pure talent throwing the football, to me, Zach Wilson is the top thrower in this draft.

"There’s a very Mahomes and Rodgers quality to the way he throws the football. And every game you turn on, there’s eye-popping throw after eye-popping throw where you just go, ‘Whoa.’”

NFL MOCK DRAFT: Where will Wilson, other top QBs land in first round?

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