There are plenty of questions to answer about North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz.
But he hopes the fact that fellow FCS-level quarterbacks such as Delaware’s Joe Flacco and Eastern Illinois’ Tony Romo have gone onto success in the NFL helps him ease those concerns.
“I think the success of guys like Joe Flacco or Tony Romo or, . . . the list goes on whether it’s quarterbacks or other position players,” he said. “There’s a lot of talented individuals at the FCS level that can play. Especially a guy like Flacco coming in really right away as a rookie and winning some ballgames I think shows that that adjustment can be made by special players for sure.”
Wentz led the Bison to a pair of FCS championships (as part of the school’s five-year run of titles), dominating at the lower level of play.
He said going to the Senior Bowl was the first step toward proving he belonged, saying: “I think I went in there and proved that I could handle it.”
Now, the jump will get even bigger, with him becoming a legitimate option for the No. 2 overall pick in Cleveland.
“First and foremost you got to win,” he said of the idea of becoming a franchise quarterback. “I think being a winner in the NFL, that will take you place for sure. I think for me coming out of North Dakota State, I think the track record speaks for itself as a winner. So when I think of a franchise quarterback not only do I think of the physical ability, but I think of being a winner, winning ballgames, taking command, being a leader. All those things come to mind.”
And since there is some recent evidence of quarterbacks being able to make the jump, Wentz’s job has gotten easier.