FOXBORO — Could Kyle Van Noy have a future in scouting?
According to the veteran linebacker, he knew Jets quarterback Zach Wilson possessed rare talent years before the young gunslinger became the No. 2 overall pick last April. Van Noy said he first noticed Wilson during a 7-on-7 passing camp a friend of his coordinated in Utah for high school recruits. Van Noy had offered to help run the camp, but couldn’t keep his eye off one dynamic quarterback who had committed to his alma mater, BYU.
“You knew (Wilson) was going to be special,” Van Noy said Thursday. “He’s got a cannon, and he carries himself in a different way that you’re like, ‘OK, he’s got it.’ That’s the kind of guy you like.”
Van Noy and the Patriots surely loved facing Wilson in Week 2, when the rookie threw four picks and took four sacks during a 25-6 Pats win at MetLife Stadium. Wilson finished 19-of-33 for 210 yards and zero touchdowns, after throwing as many passes to Van Noy’s teammates as his own through the first two-plus quarters.
But according to Van Noy, he sees a much sharper quarterback now on tape; one shaped by his extra three games of experience since that loss that should make him tougher to defend Sunday in Foxboro.
“You just see a lot of talent and him understanding his players better, how to navigate through the pocket better, just everything he’s done — better,” Van Noy said. “Decisions are better, and he’s definitely getting a lot better each and every week, and I knew that back when I met him.”
