Jets General Manager Mike Maccagnan spent a lot of time watching quarterback Sam Darnold at USC over the last two years and was left convinced that Darnold was worth taking with the third overall pick in this year’s draft.
Maccagnan’s also open to the idea of Darnold starting at quarterback to kick off the 2018 season, saying that the rookie will have every opportunity to wind up on the top line of the depth chart. Darnold said Friday at the team’s rookie minicamp that he realizes that he can’t skip any steps in the process in order to do that.
“I embrace that, but I understand every single day is a process,” Darnold said, via ESPN.com. “You have to come in here and earn respect. I’m not going to come in here and demand it. I just have to come in here, understanding the position I’m in. I’m a rookie -- I understand that -- but at the same time, I’m a quarterback and I have to be a leader on the field and off it as well.”
Darnold said his first priority is learning the playbook " because I’m coming in here and I don’t know anything.” Once that changes, we’ll have a better idea of Darnold’s chances to be in the lineup come September.