Ever since they reached the AFC Championship game nearly a decade ago, the New York Jets have been longing to discover and groom their next franchise quarterback. After a disappointing and uneventful rebuild attempt with Geno Smith that lasted four seasons, the Jets were back on the lookout once again in hopes of ending their long-awaited pursuit. And in 2018, their time had finally arrived.
With the third overall pick in the draft, the Jets selected USC standout Sam Darnold to be their new face of their offense. Posting strong numbers over his collegiate career, including 25+ TDs with a passer rating well over 140 in each of his two seasons, the Jets felt that Darnold had the talent to generate an immediate impact for an offense that was in desperate need for leadership and success (ESPN).