Robert Saleh: Zach Wilson has “a lot of horsepower in his mind”

[Broadway Joe]

USA TODAY Sports

Unless something completely unexpected happens, Zach Wilson will be the Jets starting quarterback in Week One.

Though there’s been limited on-field work since New York selected Wilson late last month, the rookie signal-caller has impressed his head coach with his study habits.

“He’s relentless in terms of his want for knowledge and in terms of studying,” Robert Saleh said in his Thursday press conference. “It is interesting when he’s watching tape, the things that he’s able to pick up and recognize. He’s already trying to get himself into that ‘501’ world, and it’s almost like, ‘Hey, let’s scout back, let’s keep on learning.’ He’s got a lot of horsepower in his mind and he’s not afraid to use all of it.”

Wilson will likely need all of that processing power to become successful as a rookie, particularly because the Jets don’t have much of a safety net. James Morgan and Mike White are the only other quarterbacks currently on New York’s roster. Though they’ve both been in the league for over a year, neither has thrown a pass in a regular-season game.