Zach Wilson gave observers a taste Friday of why he's projected to go higher in the NFL draft than any BYU player before him.
The quarterback only took part in passing drills, following a script of 60 passes drawn up by former BYU and NFL quarterback John Beck. Wilson threw a mix of deep routes, crossing routes, slants, curls, wheel routes and timing routes.
Wilson made virtually every pass look effortless.
BYU quarterback Zach Wilson warms up before participating in the school's pro day football workout for NFL scouts Friday, March 26, 2021, in Provo, Utah. (AP PhotoRick Bowmer)
“The goal of today was to show what makes me different, the type of throws that I can make that I feel like other guys don’t practice and don’t try and do,” Wilson said.
Wilson skipped running the 40-yard dash and other drills as a precautionary measure after tweaking his hamstring two weeks ago. He trained to do everything as recently as January and then shifted his focus exclusively to passing drills so he could be in peak form as a passer Friday.
“We didn’t have a combine, so I didn’t want to do everything on the pro day and not be able to throw,” Wilson said. “That was the most important thing for me.”
BYU quarterback Zach Wilson throws in the school's pro day football workout for NFL scouts Friday, March 26, 2021, in Provo, Utah. (AP PhotoRick Bowmer)
Wilson is projected to go second overall to the New York Jets in the latest mock drafts from ESPN analysts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay. The Jets had GM Joe Douglas, coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur in Provo to watch Wilson throw.
Officials from numerous NFL teams, including the 49ers, Raiders, Vikings, Titans, Lions, Falcons, Panthers, Broncos and Eagles, also attended. New Jaguars coach Urban Meyer notably skipped the trip to Provo. Jacksonville is widely expected to select Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence at No. 1 overall and sent only offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell to watch Wilson.
Wilson emerged as a top quarterback prospect after a breakout 2020 season. He threw for 3,692 yards and 33 touchdowns while completing 73.5% of his passes and throwing only three interceptions. As a junior, Wilson led the FBS in touchdown to interception ratio. He ranked second nationally in completion percentage and third in total passing yardage and passing touchdowns.
BYU quarterback Zach Wilson throws in the school's Pro Day football workout for NFL scouts Friday, March 26, 2021, in Provo, Utah. (AP PhotoRick Bowmer)
His accuracy and ability to extend plays helped BYU go 11-1 in 2020 and finish the season ranked No. 11 – the school’s highest final AP Top 25 ranking since 1996. Wilson’s leadership also helped drive the team to a higher level on the field.
“I can tell he’s having fun out there,” said receiver Dax Milne, Wilson’s top target who finished with 1,188 yards and eight touchdowns on 70 catches in 2020. “This is what he loves to do. This is what we all love to do. He’s done a great job of handling all the hype.”
Some questions exist about Wilson’s durability given his light frame. He's 6-foot-2, 214-pounds. Wilson also underwent shoulder surgery between his freshman and sophomore seasons. A thumb injury also hampered him during his sophomore campaign and sidelined Wilson for four games.
Wilson made a conscious decision to get the shoulder surgery two years ago to correct a recurring problem that cropped up during his high school football career, in part, so he could show NFL teams his body would hold up at the next level.
“It feels great,” Wilson said. “I have no issues. It’s stronger than it was before. I’m glad I got it done.”
Sixteen other players participated in the pro day, including Milne and offensive lineman Brady Christensen, who also declared for this year's draft following their junior seasons.
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Marcus Mariota emerged from the Washington Commanders' first victory celebration since Oct. 5 with a sense of relief. Beating the New York Giants 29-21 on Sunday ended their season-derailing skid at eight games.
“There’s nothing like a winning locker room,” Mariota said. “It’s hard to go two months without winning a football game.”
Now their opponent is stuck with that feeling. The Giants (2-12), who lost their eighth in a row, have not won since Oct. 9.
The only NFL game this week with no playoff implications had a far bigger bearing on draft positioning. The Giants in defeat moved a step closer to the top pick, a last-place finish in the NFC East and potentially front-office changes, with a coaching search already coming.
"I’ve never gone this long without a win in my career," said Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, who was 20 of 36 for 246 yards with touchdown passes to Tyrone Tracy and Wan'Dale Robinson and a costly interception. “I know that this isn’t going to be the case for the future, and things are going to eventually turn around. I definitely have that in my mind. Obviously, as a team we want to get that switched immediately.”
Players in Washington thought last year was evidence of turning that franchise around, with an improbable run to the conference championship game in quarterback Jayden Daniels' AP Offensive Rookie of the Year season setting expectations high. Instead, Daniels has missed significant time, including sitting out Sunday after aggravating an elbow injury, and the Commanders (4-10) also are playing out the string.
They responded from getting shut out 31-0 at Minnesota last Sunday by Jacory Croskey-Merritt running for a TD and fellow rookie Jaylin Lane returning a punt 63 yards to the end zone.
“The guys, it comes down to effort on that,” said Lane, who got the game ball from coach Dan Quinn and carried it around afterward. “It’s the longest play in football, punt returns, so just shoutout to the guys.”
Mariota connected with top receiver Terry McLaurin on a 51-yard catch-and-run touchdown early in the fourth quarter, and that went a long way toward putting smiles on many faces in the visiting locker room.
“It feels amazing to win a football game,” McLaurin said. “It’s been a long season, but you come out here and you get a win and you really appreciate that feeling.”
Mariota completed only 10 passes on 19 attempts for 211 yards, with a fumble, and Croskey-Merritt had 96 on the ground.
That, along with a defensive effort that included Von Miller sacking Dart to reach 136 1/2 in his career and pass Jared Allen for 12th on the all-time list, turned out to be enough.
“It’s never easy at this point in time with what’s going on in our season, but those guys continue to fight, continue to battle,” Mariota said. “Games like this are never easy. The weather was tough, windy, cold, snowy: So many reasons, so many things for guys to not show up and play, and our guys found a way.”
Dart was escorted off the field by trainers to the sideline and went into the blue medical tent for a concussion evaluation after taking a big hit on a designed run in the fourth. He missed only two plays while getting cleared but did not understand why he was pulled.
“I was definitely surprised,” Dart said. “I didn’t feel like it was that big of a hit at all.”
This was Dart’s second game back after missing the previous two from getting concussed Nov. 9 at Chicago.
Commanders: WR Noah Brown was initially listed as questionable to return because of a back injury, which was changed to ribs when he was ruled out at halftime. ... LT Laremy Tunsil returned after leaving with a back injury, then exited again with an oblique ailment. ... DT Eddie Goldman was evaluated for a concussion.
Giants: Edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux missed a fourth consecutive game because of a shoulder injury.
Commanders: Host the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday.
Giants: Host the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29) catches a pass for a touchdown against Washington Commanders middle linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) during the third quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Washington Commanders wide receiver Jaylin Lane (83) celebrates with wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (1) after returning a punt for a touchdown against the New York Giants during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (22) is tackled by New York Giants cornerback Andru Phillips (22) as he crosses the goal line for a touchdown during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29) catches a pass for a touchdown against Washington Commanders middle linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) during the third quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the New York Giants during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Washington Commanders wide receiver Jaylin Lane (83) carries the ball for a touchdown against the New York Giants during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
