6 Reasons Bison quarterback Trey Lance can be another Carson Wentz

So, again, is Trey Lance another Carson Wentz in the making?

Trey Lance is one of the best athletes in next year’s draft. He looks like a man amongst boys. You can see his talent in the film. The arm and the decision making are there. So is the poise, the intangibles, the clutch gene, the confidence, and focused.

It’s hard not be reminded of Carson Wentz when you watch Lance play. They both have that ‘Houdini’ ability to make something out of nothing. They’re both leaders in the huddle. Their numbers at North Dakota State were also strikingly similar.

While people can knock the level of competition Lance is facing at an FCS school, Carson made the transition to the pro ranks pretty easily. He had no weapons and still looked solid his rookie year and then had an MVP-level season in Year 2. Lance’s similar traits and interception-free run in 2019 are evidence that there’s no reason to think he can’t be one of the league’s better quarterbacks in a few years with the right team and in the right situation with the right coaching staff.

People are also going to try to minimalize Lance’s success because he was backed by one of the best rushing attacks in the country. In 2019, NDSU’s top five running backs combined for 29 touchdowns and 3,025 yards on 492 carries, and their top back averaged a whopping 7.3 yards per rush. Wentz had it good with John Crockett in 2014, who ran for 1,994 yards and 21 touchdowns on 368 carries that season. He was part of a trio that combined for 29 touchdowns and 2,975 yards on 530 carries.

None of that should take away from any of Lance’s or Wentz’s success, nor does it prove that Lance can’t be successful at the next level. Lance has everything he needs to win at the next level, just like Wentz, but he isn’t Carson Wentz 2.0. That isn’t to say he’s void of talent. It’s because these two, despite their similarities, have different styles. Sometimes Lance looks like Wentz. At other times he looks like Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson. On a good day, his deep ball reminds you of Josh Allen’s. He can also remind you of Patrick Mahomes at times.

Lance incorporates a little bit of everything into his game, and he is his own distinct style of quarterback. That’s what makes this kid so special, and he’s only 19 years old, so his focus should be on having another incredible season in 2020. It’s going to be hard for fans that watch him not to think about him playing on Sundays though. Soon, his challenge will be taking a team from the bottom to the top, and it’ll be intriguing to see if he can do that when his time for NFL glory comes.