Zero or one? You choose the more impressive number.
If a fullback is judged on wins and losses, there is no stepping stone to Trey Lance’s 17-0 record in the North Dakota state. If wins belong to the team, one interception transferred to 318 careers speaks to individual talent.
When judging NFL scouts and managers ‘colleagues’ backs, two of the most important questions to ask are: is he a winner? Does he take care of the ball? Lance was perfect and almost perfect for checking the respective blocks, and now he will be showcasing his other skills on Friday in the North Dakota state pro-day – in front of a contingent led by Jets general manager Joe Douglas include.
“Only 17 games as a starter are hard to reach and the level of competition was not great,” ESPN analyst Matt Miller told The Post. ‘But I thought he made everyone on the field better when he was out there. I like about his game. ”
Lance is one of five backs to be taken within the first 15 NFL draft picks in 2021. He is attached to the Hawks, Panthers, Broncos, 49ers and Patriots and could be a viable option for the Jets, especially if they are from no. 2 exchange.
Aside from the alleged No. 1 pick, Trevor Lawrence, Lance may be the greenest, most athletic and have the highest long-term ceiling of the group. In other words, he needs the most projective research, patience and quality coaching.
“I could see Bill Belichick having a lot of fun with a guy like Trey Lance,” said NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah. “The only thing that would stop me from doing that is that I do not know if he will be ready to do it right away. But if you talk to the people of the North Dakota state, this kid is incredibly intelligent, which we know the Patriots have always put a premium on. ‘
Lance wore a red panty in 2018, won a national championship of FCS in 2019 and played in one game in the fall before the North Dakota state moved its football season to spring. He enrolled in the NFL draft instead of returning to school and possibly becoming the No. 1 pick in 2022.
The lack of experience suggests that his next team may need to install a ‘Lance package’ for specialized use as a rookie. Lance is compared to Lamar Jackson by Miller and Steve McNair by Jeremiah.
“He’s not as fast as Lamar,” Miller said, “but if you think about how he can be used early – deep ball passing, use him as a runner and on the trail where he can stick out the bag and stuff. can keep opening longer, I think he can excel this way. ”
All attention will be focused on Lance’s 40-yard run, which is expected to register in the elite series of 4.5 seconds. Where Jackson runs fast, Lance has power like McNair.
“He’s going to be hit by a linebacker at the 4-yard line and find the end zone – and you see the same with Trey Lance,” Jeremiah said. ‘Both guys come from a lower level of competition, both guys were dominant at that level. You look at the power arms to drive the football off the field. You look at guys who really, really pull their teammates together [them]. I just think there are a lot of similarities between the two. ”