Jets Nab Sam Darnold in 2018 NFL Draft; Skip Bayless Doubts Tom Brady Is Worried

The New York Jets selected USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 NFL draft Thursday. 

Bleacher Report's Connor Rogers thought the Jets were happy to see Baker Mayfield and Saquon Barkley go in the first two picks:

Fox Sports' Skip Bayless doesn't think Darnold is a can't-miss prospect for New York:

Joel Klatt of Fox Sports wondered how much the Denver Broncos were lamenting their position in the first round:

Here's how others reacted to the pick:

"

Sam Darnold's grandfather, who was named Dick Hammer, was the Marlboro Man. If nothing else one of the best draft nuggets ever.

— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) April 27, 2018"

Darnold was widely considered to be one of the top two quarterbacks in this year's draft class and jostled for the top spot in myriad mock drafts with UCLA Bruins star Josh Rosen and Wyoming Cowboys passer Josh Allen.

After redshirting as a freshman, Darnold played two seasons for USC before making the leap to the NFL. But that was more than enough time to win over NFL scouts and executives. Darnold threw for 7,229 yards and 57 touchdowns and had a 153.7 passer rating in 27 games for the Trojans.

The quarterback's profile rose quickly after he replaced Max Browne as USC's starter in 2016, and the 2017 Rose Bowl was his breakthrough on a national stage. He finished 33-of-53 for 453 yards, five touchdowns and an interception in a 52-49 win over the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Like every other quarterback entering the NFL, Darnold isn't without his flaws. He threw 22 interceptions during his time with the Trojans and had an FBS-high eight lost fumbles in 2017, according to Team Rankings. The latter number is particularly concerning since Darnold isn't a dual-threat quarterback and didn't operate in an offense wherein he was expected to be a runner.

NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah in January compared Darnold to former Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo:

"Darnold's a little bit taller than Romo, but they have a similar build. Like Romo during his playing career, Darnold is a really good athlete and is outstanding with his creativity when the play breaks down. Every now and then, both of them press their luck and make an ill-advised throw, but they each have rare playmaking ability."

As good as Romo was, he was prone to the occasional sloppy turnover, throwing 117 interceptions in 127 starts with the Cowboys. Still, the good far outweighed the bad with Romo, and the Jets will be more than happy if Darnold emulates the four-time Pro Bowler.

The Jets pretty much signaled they were going to select a quarterback when they moved up for the third overall pick. A promising passer may have fallen to New York at No. 6, but trading up three spots eliminated any doubt.

Although the Jets signed Teddy Bridgewater and Josh McCown, those moves were clearly about stabilizing the position for the time being without sacrificing anything in the long term. Once New York failed to land Kirk Cousins, building around a rookie was the team's best option.

The question becomes whether Darnold sees the field in his first season. The Jets were patient with Christian Hackenberg before it became clear he wasn't the guy. And having Bridgewater and McCown allows New York to slow-play Darnold's development.

But plenty of Jets fans will be clamoring to see Darnold start in 2018, and ignoring that may prove difficult for New York.