The New York Jets have the second pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. If they trade Sam Darnold, should they draft Justin Fields? We dive deeper into the quarterback prospect.
The New York Jets own the second overall pick in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft. Will they keep it or will they use it as part of a huge package to acquire Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans? If they stand pat, are they committed to keeping Sam Darnold?
If not, general manager Joe Douglas will need a new signal-caller to lead Gang Green out from a decade of ineptitude. Luckily, the No. 2 pick in the draft puts them in position to select any quarterback not named Trevor Lawrence.
One such prospect is quarterback Justin Fields from Ohio State. Let’s take a closer look at the Kennesaw, GA native.
New York Jets 2021 NFL Draft profile: Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
The 6-3, 228-pounder is a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year (2019-20). Fields led the Buckeyes to the National Championship contest against Alabama, falling 33-17 to the Crimson Tide. He finished the shortened 2020 campaign with 22 touchdown passes, six interceptions, 2,100 passing yards (completing 70.2 percent of his pass attempts) while adding 383 yards on the ground and five touchdowns.
Fields was superb in the national semifinals against Clemson, tossing six touchdown passes and rushing for 42 yards in a rousing 49-28 victory. However, he took a hard hit and suffered a hip pointer which clearly affected him in a mediocre performance in the National Championship Game (17-of-33, 194 yards, one touchdown).
Let’s take a look at some of his highlights with the Buckeyes via YouTube:
Justin Fields draft prospect summary
What stands out from the video is Fields’ excellent athleticism and his ability to make every throw a potential NFL franchise quarterback needs to make to succeed. He can throw the deep post as well as fire the ball into tight windows. Although his motion could be slightly more compact, Fields possesses a fine touch and is more than capable of completing passes on the run. He has a very high ceiling and his floor is pretty solid.
The modern NFL prototype signal-caller is a player that can beat a defense with his arm and mobility (Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson, etc.). The days of drafting a pure pocket passer for the most part are gone. Fields certainly fits the mold of the modern quarterback.
However, like any top prospect (yes, even Trevor Lawrence), there are areas that need improvement.
Fields’ pocket awareness can be shaky at times, especially in the face of the blitz. Sometimes he looks rattled. He must work on going through his progessions faster at the next level. His field vision needs to get better. Instead of forcing some throws, Fields would be better served if he checked the ball down to his backs more often. A strong rushing attack will provide better play-action opportunities for him.
Ironically, Fields reminds me a lot of Watson. If he can come close to performing like the Pro Bowl quarterback from the Texans, the Jets will have drafted a real gem while preserving a ton of draft capital to boot.