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Zach Wilson Drafted By New York Jets With Second Overall Pick In NFL Draft

BOSTON (CBS) -- The New York Jets have selected the young man they believe will be their quarterback of the future.

The Jets kept to the script on Thursday night, taking Zach Wilson with the second overall pick, as most everyone in football expected to happen.

Wilson shot up draft boards with his performance in 2020 for BYU. He completed 73.5 percent of his passes for 3,692 yards with 33 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also rushed for 254 yards and 10 touchdowns, and he caught two passes for 32 yards. It was a massive jump from his sophomore season of 2019, when he threw for 11 touchdowns with nine interceptions.

The 6-foot-3, 209-pound Wilson led the Cougars to an 11-1 record in 2020, with their lone loss coming at Coastal Carolina in early December. Wilson had three games in 2019 -- at Houston, vs. Texas State and vs. North Alabama -- with four passing touchdowns and no interceptions.

In terms of the history of BYU quarterbacks getting drafted high, Steve Young went first overall in the 1984 supplemental draft, while Jim McMahon went fifth overall in the 1982 draft.

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