Ranking 5 NFL rookie first-round quarterbacks in preseason debuts

2. Zach Wilson, New York Jets

It’s actually just a little disappointing that we didn’t get to see more of Zach Wilson as the Jets took on the crosstown rival Giants to start the 2021 NFL preseason. The No. 2 overall pick only saw the field for a few drives before it ultimately became the Mike White show (hooray for the preseason, everyone).

And when you look at the final stat line, it’s not going to jump off the  page. Wilson completed 6-of-9 passes for 63 yards with no scores and no interceptions. However, when you consider this is a player who everyone in Gang Green has seemingly started to worry about after some training camp struggles, we should be impressed with what the rookie showed.

Wilson told the media that his turnovers and bad mistakes in practice were him pushing his limits and seeing what he could get away with. Judging by one preseason game, he might’ve been right. The Jets quarterback was efficient, smart and quick to make his reads and decisions within the offense. It was a strong performance overall.

Now, you would like to see a little bit more playmaking moving forward but, again, this was his debut in the pro ranks. You can give him a pass for just wanting to get out there and do his job, which he did admirably on Saturday.