Early Career And Nfl Draft

Sam Darnold: From Jets Bust to Vikings Savior?

Early Career and NFL Draft

Sam Darnold, the 6'3", 225-pound quarterback, played wide receiver and linebacker for the football team in high school. However, he switched to quarterback as a sophomore when the starting quarterback suffered an injury.

In college, Darnold played for the USC Trojans and was considered one of the top prospects in the 2018 NFL Draft. He was selected by the New York Jets with the third overall pick.

Struggles with the Jets

Darnold started all 38 games he played for the Jets from 2018 to 2020, throwing for 8,097 yards and 45 touchdowns. However, he also struggled with turnovers and inconsistency.

In April 2021, the Jets traded Darnold to the Carolina Panthers for a sixth-round pick in 2021 and second and fourth-round picks in 2022.

Resurgence in Carolina

In Carolina, Darnold showed signs of improvement in 2021, throwing for 3,027 yards and 19 touchdowns while leading the Panthers to a 5-12 record.

However, a shoulder injury limited him to just 11 games in 2022, and he struggled badly in those games, throwing for only four touchdowns and nine interceptions.

A New Beginning in Minnesota

In March 2023, Darnold agreed to a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings are hoping that Darnold can be a reliable backup to Kirk Cousins and potentially even compete for the starting job.