National Football League

Zach Wilson and Trevor Lawrence: Growing pains or something more?

Published Sep. 20, 2021 12:57 a.m. ET

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Transitions are almost never easy.

And there is no transition in football that's quite comparable to the shift from college ball to the pros.

The speed, the strength, the smarts — they all increase to an immense degree. And though some facets, such as quarterback release time and wide receiver get-offs, might seem to make minuscule impacts, those split-second changes are often the difference between a successful career and one outside of football.

Quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson are currently undergoing their own career shifts, as they look to transform from widely heralded college prospects into polished pro performers.

And things are going … well, let's just say slowly for the first and second overall picks thus far.

Lawrence knew he'd have his work cut out for him in his rookie campaign. His Jaguars were the worst team in football last season, and the former Clemson QB was handed the keys to the franchise after winning one national championship in three standout seasons for a dominant Tigers regime.

Lawrence lost only two games during his tenure at Clemson, but this season, he has already amassed two Ls after falling in consecutive outings against the Texans and Broncos.

His stats through the turmoil: 450 yards, four touchdowns, five interceptions on a 50% completion clip. His passer rating: 57.1.

His most recent outing added more disappointment to a rocky road that dates back to the preseason. After getting the ball to start the game Sunday, Lawrence guided his team downfield for six on a spirited, 11-play, 83-yard drive. 

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It was a hopeful start for the QB, but on the possessions that followed, Lawrence sputtered to a 9-of-26 completion rate, registering just 45 yards, compared to the 73 he tossed on the first possession.

"I think our mental space is really good," he said afterward, noting that it’s part of his job to sustain his confidence.

"I thought I saw the defense well," Lawrence said of the Broncos' secondary. "I thought we were better today than last week, for sure. We really have good enough players to win these games — just got to play better." 

He added that when things break down, he just needs to "use my legs."

And Lawrence isn't the only rookie QB having trouble finding his footing. The man who heard his name called on draft night right after Lawrence's is experiencing a similar failure to launch of sorts.

Zach Wilson's Jets are also struggling, and the BYU product has not injected the necessary fuel into their platoon to drive them toward a winning effort. 

Wilson's numbers look strikingly familiar when matched up with Lawrence's. He too has thrown five picks, while totaling 468 yards through the air with two touchdowns on a 55.7% percentage.

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Wilson is tied with Lawrence for the league lead in interceptions, with five. That's two more than he had during his senior season at BYU. 

He also threw a TD in every game that year, a feat he failed to accomplish Sunday against New England. Also, Wilson had a 60% completion rate in each of those college games, but through two NFL starts, he has failed to reach that benchmark.

As for Lawrence, he has thrown the same number of takeaways in his first two NFL games as he did in his entire career at Clemson. Five is the number of consecutive games in which he has tossed a pick as well.

One thing is clear: The NFL is not the SEC or ACC, and it's certainly not the Mountain West.

Both quarterbacks have the professional talent, according to their scouts, and they have plenty of time left to deliver on it.

But so far, they've just had difficulty showing it.

For more up-to-date news on all things NFL, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app!

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National Football League

Zach Wilson

New York Jets

Trevor Lawrence

Jacksonville Jaguars