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NFL Draft Grades 2018: New York Jets select Sam Darnold at No. 3

By Michael Pallas

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Sam Darnold #14 of the USC Trojans looks to pass during the first half against the Stanford Cardinal at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 9, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Sam Darnold #14 of the USC Trojans looks to pass during the first half against the Stanford Cardinal at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 9, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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The New York Jets moved up to No. 3 overall, and they use the pick on USC quarterback Sam Darnold. He’s the right selection.

The New York Jets have long been awaiting for their franchise quarterback. They have used the 2018 NFL Draft’s No. 3 overall pick on Sam Darnold, and he’s that guy.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room — his issues with fumbling. We’ve seen players both quarterbacks and others have fumbling issues in their careers and fix them in the NFL. Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck both had fumbling issues early on in their careers, but corrected them. In fact, in New York, there was a prominent player — a running back by the name of Tiki Barber — who had fumbling issues, and he corrected them. So, let’s not overblow that issue.

Also, let’s not look at where he went to school as an issue. Mark Sanchez is a completely different player, and this coaching staff is different than that one. Part of the reason that Sanchez failed was on the coaching staff attempting to change the team’s identity.

Darnold has good enough arm strength to make all the throws, is mobile, throws with anticipation, and is accurate — everything needed in the quarterback position in 2018. What else could you want. He will be able to hit all the receivers on all three levels and give them the chance to run after the catch.

Next: NFL Draft 2018: Instant grades, reactions

The slogan for the NFL Draft was “The future is now.” For the Jets, that’s àpropos. For all the people who wanted the team to tank for Darnold and claimed they couldn’t even do that right when they were winning, this just proves that the needed to establish that culture of winning and still have enough to get the guy they wanted all along.

In the end, he Jets got the right guy to right the ship In East Rutherford.

Draft Grade: A+

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