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NFL Draft 2021: The curious case of Michael Carters

When you’re the New York Jets, you’re used to starting all over. In this year’s NFL Draft, their task was made clearer than usual after the Jets traded their starting quarterback Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers. With Trevor Lawrence locked in to Jacksonville before the draft, all other options were open to the second team of New York. A slew of top-tier quarterbacks with various question marks accompanying them jockeyed for the second overall pick.

The Jets ended up going with BYU quarterback Zach Wilson. To ensure he had a fighting chance at immediate success, New York took the top-graded offensive guard in the draft, USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker, later in the first round.