6 Reasons Bison quarterback Trey Lance can be another Carson Wentz
By Hunter Doyle
Will the NFL witness Carson Wentz 2.0 in Trey Lance?
In the 2016 NFL Draft, Carson Wentz became the highest-drafted player out of an FCS school in league history. Thanks to the continued success he has had in the NFL, it’s opened the door for more FCS players. Sure, there were some drafted before Wentz, but the Philadelphia Eagles‘ decision to pick him second overall has changed the league’s perspective of the FCS forever.
Just two years after finding their signal-caller, Dallas Goedert was taken by the Eagles in the second round of 2018’s draft, and he’s now a top-ten tight end. Wentz’s successor at North Dakota State, Easton Stick, earned a call from the Los Angeles Chargers in the fifth round in 2019. NDSU has been a powerhouse for what feels like forever, but without Wentz getting his foot in the door, who knows if Stick would have ever gotten an opportunity.
In the 2021 draft, Stick’s successor will be one of the first quarterbacks off of the board. Trey Lance is one of the most intriguing prospects in next year’s draft not only because of the numbers he has put up but also because of the raw talent he has displayed in his short time at NDSU. With some of the top prospects in next year’s draft, Lance is going to fly under-the-radar, but whoever ends up with him won’t regret giving him a shot.
One of the big questions will be whether or not he can be the next great quarterback to come out of NDSU and the FCS. Maybe a better question to ask is if he can be Carson Wentz 2.0.
There have been notable starters that have come out of FCS schools like Jimmy Garoppolo, Tony Romo, and Joe Flacco, but they’ve only been as good as the team around them. That’s not to take away from the success they’ve had. They’re above average signal callers who can win games, but Wentz has proven he can win without talent around him. That being said, let’s dive into how Lance compares to Wentz.