Zero or one? Choose the most impressive number.
If a defender is judged on wins and losses, there is no 17-0 record for Trey Lance in North Dakota. If the victories belong to the team, an interception thrown at 318 career passes speaks of individual talent.
When NFL scouts and executives evaluate college defenders, two of the most important questions are: Is he a winner? Does he take care of the ball? Lance was perfect and almost perfect in checking those boxes, and will now show off his other skills on Friday in North Dakota’s professional day – in front of a contingent that will include Jets general manager Joe Douglas.
“Only 17 games as a starter are hard to beat and the level of competition has not been great,” ESPN project analyst Matt Miller told The Post. “But I thought he made everyone on the field better when he was there. I like that at his game. ”
Lance is one of five defenders who could be taken in the first 15 NFL draft picks in 2021. He has been connected to the Falcons, Panthers, Broncos, 49ers and Patriots and could be a viable option for the Jets, especially if they return from number 2.
Apart from the presumed No. 1 choice of Trevor Lawrence, Lance could be the greenest, most athletic and have the highest long-term ceiling of the group. In other words, it requires the most projective research, patience and quality training.
“I could see Bill Belichick having a lot of fun with a guy like Trey Lance,” said Daniel Jeremiah, an NFL network analyst. “The only thing that would stop me is that I don’t know if he will be ready to do that right away. But when you talk to people in North Dakota, this kid is incredibly smart, which we know the Patriots have always given a bonus. ”
Lance wore red in 2018, won a national FCS championship in 2019 and played in a single game in the fall before the state of North Dakota moved its football season in the spring. He entered the NFL Draft instead of returning to school and eventually becoming No. 1 overall in 2022.
Lack of experience suggests that his next team may need to install a “Lance Package” for specialized use as a beginner. Lance is compared to Lamar Jackson by Miller and Steve McNair by Jeremiah.
“It’s not as fast as Lamar,” Miller said, “but if you’re thinking about how it could be used early – the deep ball pass, use it as a runner and on the shooting routes under which you can extend your pocket. and keep things open longer, I think can excel in this way. ”
All eyes will be on Lance’s 40-yard launch time, which is expected to be in the elite 4.5-second range. Where Jackson runs fast, Lance has power, just like McNair.
“He would have hit a defender on the 4-yard line and found his way to the end zone – and you’ll see the same thing with Trey Lance,” Jeremiah said. “Both boys come from a lower level of competition, both guys dominating at that level. You look at the arms of power to be able to lead football on the field. You look at the guys their colleagues really meet [them]. I just think there are a lot of similarities between the two. ”